On the First Family’s ‘integrity’

DIE HARD III / Herman Tiu Laurel / 7/15/2013 / Daily Tribune

Since the corruption story about the First Family came out, there has been a tremendous public relations effort to put out the fires of speculation around it. The First Family is, of course, the bachelor BS Aquino III, his sisters, and his brothers-in-law. The speculation involves an alleged "advance" from Czech company Inekon to a group led by presidential brother-in-law Eldon Cruz, whose wife is Ballsy Aquino (the most Cory Aquino look-alike of the four sisters), apparently in exchange for a contract to supply light-railway train coaches to the Metro Rail Transit Corp.
The source of the speculation was an AM radio report citing unnamed informants. Subsequently, radio station dzRH reported that a Czech Republic representative to the Philippines was readying to spit out the details.
Malacañang doused the fires with every resource in its command, including media assets such this newspaper publisher who represents the kind of media that would defend today's First Family. But let me get right to the point of this piece: We do not even need the present Inekon controversy to know the true nature of the Aquino-Cojuangco family and its entire political clan.

One only needs to look at the prime example of the corrupt character of the family: The history of one of its prized family jewels, Hacienda Luisita, a piece of around 6,500 hectares of land bigger than the cities of Makati and Pasay combined, finagled through political connections and funded by public funds, which the family refused to return to the farmers as stipulated in the original agreement.
What the Aquino-Cojuangcos did in the Hacienda Luisita deal, however, is not unique to them. It is the trademark of the prevailing ruling class that "owns" the country. By "ruling class," we do not refer simply to "the rich" but "the rich intertwined with the politics and foreign relations of this country." They are the ones who really make the decisions and are responsible for deposing our elected leaders. The Edsa II coup against Erap Estrada, for instance, had to have the imprimatur of Cory Aquino, in much the same way that Estrada's "redemption" years later had to be lent some added weight by that Yellow figurehead's apology.
Speaking of that episode in our history, what were the real motives of much of the Aquino-Cojuangcos in eventually going against Gloria Arroyo? Was it not Gloria's countermove post-Hyatt 10 of refusing to extend the Hacienda Luisita "behest" lease? Was it not the same in the case of BS Aquino's "conviction" of former Chief Justice Renato Corona?

A very explicit example of how the "immaculate" clan members go about their unobtrusive operations is the case of the PLDT telecommunications gateway during the time of Cory Aquino. We have as witness a bona fide but rebellious and socialist-minded former National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) insider Linggoy Alcuaz, who is sometimes dubbed by cousins as a "traitor to his own class," knowing that he tried to break the PLDT monopoly of the international gateway at that time, in the mid-80s.

For his anti-Marcos activism, Alcuaz was appointed NTC commissioner. Knowing how he can be bullheaded and independent, the Aquinos made sure they had control of the two deputy commissioners, such that each of them was recommended by sons-in-law Eldon Cruz and Manolo Abeleda. When Alcuaz signed the additional gateways to two PLDT competitors, the deputy commissioner recommended by Eldon Cruz ran to him trembling and pleading, "Eldon called. What am I to do?" to which he said that that he had the sole responsibility. Alcuaz was eventually fired by Cory Aquino, though he contends that it was because of a coup prediction he made. Others, though, believe it was really because of that PLDT gateway issue. Having said that, influence peddling is still the least of the crimes of the clan.

Historical evidence of the Aquino-Cojuangcos' crony and bureaucrat capitalism, as well as obsequious allegiance to predatory powers for their self-aggrandizement, is outstanding. Many Filipinos now know of Doña Isidra Cojuangco and the missing revolutionary treasury of the Katipunan. The Aquino-Cojuangcos' defense, cited in one account, is that they were "aided by free rail transport to Manila markets from their rice mill in Paniqui (the commercial rate at that time being P2.50 per sack), as a gift from General Arthur MacArthur, whom they assisted with accommodation and storage space during the American advance." The problem is, "in this period rice production in Tarlac was hampered not only by war, but also by severe floods and locust plagues." Thus, "it is difficult to see how this… two-hectare property and small rice mill in 1896… (grew to become) 2,000 hectares along the rail line by 1901."

After abandoning the Philippine Revolution in favor of American colonizers, the Aquino-Cojuangcos were just as quick to join the Japanese Imperial forces, serving as political props for the new occupying powers. Grandfather Benigno Simeon Aquino Sr. served as head of parliament of the puppet government while grandmother Aurora Aquino led its women's bureau. How much did they profit then? Honestly, isn't this claimed extortion possible that the Czechs reportedly allege today? Hell, yeah!

(Tune in to 1098 AM, Tuesday to Friday, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; watch GNN Destiny Cable Channel 8, Saturday, 8 p.m. and replay Sunday, 8 a.m., this week on "China, RP, and US hegemonism"; visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com; and text reactions to 0923-4095739)

Taking RP and Filipinos for saps?

DIE HARD III / Herman Tiu Laurel / 7/10/2013 / Daily Tribune

For over a week now, a Reuters report on China's supposed threat of a "counterstrike" has riled and wildly agitated Philippine media and officialdom. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario was quoted as having branded the alleged "official" statement as "irresponsible." Countless media commentators, including "military experts" and "diplomats" — from BusinessWorld's Rafael Alunan to Manila Standard Today's Ambassador Alejandro del Rosario — lambasted the supposed counterstrike threat. I hope they had watched Global News Network (GNN)'s Sunday show with Kit Tatad that featured his interview with the premier China expert in the Philippines, Chito Sta. Romana, where the latter revealed Reuters' error in translation. We would love to give them copies just so that they'd sober up.
Chito sent us a comparison of the Chinese characters used by Reuters and the exact words used in the opinion piece in the People's Daily. I don't know if Tribune's printing press is able to print these characters so I'll also supply the phonetics. According to Chito, the "Chinese characters used in the original article are those which means "counter-measures" (pronounced "fanzhi"). Somehow it got translated by the international media as "counter-strike," which is (pronounced "fanji").
I read the Reuters article with the "counter-strike" translation, which was carried by our media. Here is the link to the Chinese article on "counter-measures": http://world.people.com.cn/n/2013/0629/c1002-22014733.html. "Fanzhi" can be found in the second line of the last paragraph."
Did the erroneous Reuters translation intend to take the Philippines (and Filipinos) for a wild ride on anti-China vituperations? We'll never know that for sure; but clearly, many of our so-called "intelligentsia" had been too easily aroused to rabid anti-China and war-mongering sentiments.

These Filipino pundits are perhaps only too eager to show their abiding obedience to the unspoken desires of the traditional Western masters of this land that ever since they read between the lines of Obama's "pivot to Asia," they've been falling all over each other to outdo the US hawks in portraying China as "the bully" and the new "hegemon." Yet no matter how much they can be reasonably excused for their rabble rousing (if not utter stupidity), for the DFA to be caught in such a wrong-footed interpretation of the "counter-measure" reply is just sheer incompetence.
Indeed, the obsequiousness of these pundits and officials inevitably lead to their silliness. Take for instance this report, "Palace welcomes US diplomat's stance against China bullying."

Who was the "diplomat" in question and what the context in which he stated his opinion? Don't be surprised but the story was based on comments made during a US Senate confirmation hearing for the promotion of director for Asian Affairs Danny Russell to Assistant for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, both of which are actually very low posts in the totem pole of the US State Department. His comments were, however, made front page headlines by the local mainstream media.
Chito Sta. Romana observed that the Philippines may now be learning from its past errors of reacting too quickly and too frequently to very low level or even unofficial media, as well as academic opinions that do not reflect official Chinese policy. I guess he was being a bit too optimistic.

There is much disinformation from Western media that we must always sift through. Alunan, already erring in his "counterstrike" retort, even adds, "Despite China's atrocious ownership claims, no proof exists to back it up. From WikiLeaks, Cable 08BEIJING3499, sent to Washington by the US embassy in Beijing on Sept. 9, 2008, (it was) reported that a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) official… could not identify specific historical records to justify China's 'Nine Dashes' claim…"
But as far as the Chinese (Taiwan and People's Republic of China) side is concerned, it is pretty clear that "China's 1948 nine-dash line map shows the sea border… (and that) China's nine-dash line map was undisputed for 50 years from 1948 to 1998…"

So as the legal tit-for-tat continues, mutually beneficial bilateral talks are being blocked by a lone Asean minority and the real lone global hegemonist.
Unfortunately, the seemingly deliberate distortions in Philippine media about China are even bordering on the ridiculous. A column in Manila Standard Today entitled, "Why China needs a war," cited a slew of Chinese domestic concerns, such as an economy on a slump; exports facing hard times; communist rule in peril due to an educated young population; Tiananmen anniversary and "hate frenzy" diverted against Japan; Xinjiang troubles; widespread pollution; bird flu, etc., and that "instead of solving these problems," the writer claims that "China is busy building a mighty army and a blue water navy to bully its neighbors who are disputing its claim over the entire South China Sea."

But China has had the worst of these problems since 1949 and never had to resort to any major war as a solution. As for the other so-called problem — the slump in growth to seven percent — it is definitely a "problem" that other countries would dearly love to have.
China knows it needs a war like a hole in the head. It is actually the US that constantly starts many wars — this time provoking China — in order to thwart the rise of the erstwhile sleeping Dragon.

Some anti-China pundits are desperate to whip up more reasons to fire up Filipino xenophobia against the Chinese, apparently egged on by a Filipino-American woman who had a failed business in and a failed boycott campaign against the Asian superpower. Like the pro-Western Reuters news agency, this anti-Chinese bigot is also taking Filipinos for saps.

(Tune in to 1098 AM, Tuesday to Friday, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; watch GNN Destiny Cable Channel 8, Saturday, 8:00 p.m. and replay Sunday, 8 a.m., this week on "China, RP, and US hegemonism"; visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com; and text reactions to 0923-4095739)

Lawyer vs IT pros on PCOS

DIE HARD III

Herman Tiu Laurel

7/8/2013

Daily Tribune

The late Philippine computer and information technology pioneer Manuel "Mano" Alcuaz had always insisted that automated elections in the Philippine would only result in "garbage in and garbage out." He argued for precinct level manual elections and counting with open, blackboard tabulation, signed canvass sheets and for any member to be allowed to photograph all these with cellphone cameras. He argued that the Automated Election System (AES) was merely an excuse for massive graft by those contracting the computer soft and hardware suppliers with government officials. Mano accepted automation only for summing up the count digitally and transmission of the data to the municipal, provincial, Comelec and national canvass but backed up by hard copies.

The 3000 member Philippine Computer Society (PCS) still agrees with Mano Alcuaz today. Its president Toti Casiño, confirmed this on my Global News Network public affairs program Talk News TV countless of times. And we have all read and heard the many IT experts from the Ateneo, UP and LaSalle exposing the flawed operations and results of the AES employed by the Comelec and the two Edsa II administrations (Arroyo and BS Aquino). Many countries have already backed away from automated voting and counting, the most frequent example cited is Germany where its Supreme Court banned automated voting and counting as unconstitutional as it could not be transparent. But many others have backed out of automated elections, such as Switzerland and Ireland. Last month found that that Russia is still uses manual voting and counting.

It is to my great disappointment that here in the Philippines some otherwise respected minds have continued to stick to the simpleton's awe for "computerized" and "automated" elections. They echo the argument of other simpletons that such electro-mechanical system eliminates the human factor," "human error" and/or "human deceit," etc. That consternation doubled when I an otherwise intelligent individual I once was awed by, reflect the simpleton view of the Philippine's automated election system.
Lawyer Rene Saguisag in his July 4 column in the Manila Times spoke his mind on the matter, entitled "Automation versus manual? No contest, but let's improve it." No contest? I wondered what Saguisag knows about computers and IT, and what his basis for saying so is.
As is often the case Saguisag's article rambled into tidbits about uncles and personal friends, and frilly stories about his cozy little old Pasig society, and praises as well for anything Cory Aquino. These days under those praises are for BS Aquino for whom he tries to find the little gems in the dung heap of the BS Aquino III governance.
Rene wrote, "I was glad to read that 'Surigao del Norte's income rose by 711.22 percent; poverty declined by 32 percent.' No thanks to P-Noy but genuine People's Initiative, not waiting for Malacañang to move, as kadunongs, pilosopos throw everything at P-Noy." Note that the mining province's increase in income translated to only a little more than 3.5 percent poverty decline. Mineral prices such as nickel can go up but people's income from working in those mineral companies never appreciably do.

Rene adds about critics and dissidents who write, "We columnists know all the answers save that they are contradictory prescriptions by the unelectable." But is the little boy in Malacañang he coddles electable? Cory's own people tell us that Cory Aquino, the mother, found dear little PeNoy unelectable. The promise of Hocus PCOS of 2010 impressed one voting bloc, INC, to announce its swing to the little unelectable and, supported by the manipulated opinion surveys owned by one or another relation or another, gave credence to the PCOS padded election results of 2010 giving an "overwhelming" victory for Rene's darling kid.

Saguisag continued, "…Thanks to automation, there is no more opportunity anywhere for long counts and ballot-snatching or switching." For Saguisag's information the Comelec stopped the opening of canvasses on May 18 and only announced three weeks later, on June 8, that it had completed the last canvass batch. That wasn't as short a time as Saguisag seems to believe for the national canvass. The worst part is that the 60-30-10 template is confirmed even as more data is analyzed by the "kadunongs, pilosopos and hecklers." Now, as reported to us by kadunong Ado Paglinawan, it has been discovered that Grace Poe had already gotten over 20 million votes by the 17th canvass batch. When the last canvass batch which still held almost half of the votes, the little darling of the status quo society had only around 150,000 votes added to her total.

Details of this will soon be made public, casting even more doubt on the 2010 elections. While lawyer Saguisag has not raised a hoot about the incontrovertible violations of law of the AES where he could have played a real role, he insists on promoting "automation" of which he knows nothing about.

(Tune to 1098AM, 5 to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Friday; Destiny Cable, Channel 8, Saturday 8 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m.: "China, RP and US Hegemonism"; visit: http//www.newkatipunero.blogspot.com; text comments to 0923-4095739)