2007 ranks as one of the worst years of my life. During Ramadhan, I decided to write only about good things in this blog. But only bad things seem to be happening in the country.
There was the ZTE-Broadband scandal which exposed the worst things in government – the incompetence of the officials, the corruption that goes to the highest levels, the criminal activities of top officials, including threats of assassination, etc. The reported (alleged) bribe attempts range from 200 million pesos to 70 million US dollars. The whistle blower claimed he was bribed with 10 million US dollars. Wow!
There were the dole-outs to governors and congressmen worth half a million pesos each. The money were placed in brown paper bags and distributed at Malacanang Palace. There were no receipts or vouchers.
Then there was the bombing at the Batasan (Congress) which killed a Moro congressman. Instead of investigating using forensic science, the police, as usual, arrested people based on some informants’ tip and, as usual, the arrested people “confessed” and pointed out the “mastermind”. Again, as usual, these witnesses later recanted and claimed that they were tortured.
And then there was the Trillanes walk-out that turned into a putsch. The government intimidated the media by arresting the journalists covering the event. And worse, a midnight-to-dawn curfew was declared in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Wow! It was just like Martial Law!
Oh, ex-Pres. Erap, who had just been convicted of plunder by the Sandiganbayan, was pardoned by President Arroyo. So what was the EDSA DOS all about then?
The scheduled MILF-GRP Peace Talks in Malaysia this December was aborted. The government does not seem too keen on having a peace deal with the MILF.
But the MNLF- GRP peace talk was resumed. Another divide-and-conquer strategy by the government?
My favorite reality TV show is the one that features live the Senate committee hearings. It is not only entertaining; it is also informative and reveals to the public some of the nefarious activities of the rich and powerful Filipinos.
The Senate hearings show to all and sundry the real colors of the senators. Some are too arrogant; others are simply unintelligent, while some are bent on sucking up to the President. A few only want to hear their own voices, so they tend to ask long-winded questions and really couldn’t care less about the answers.
I am aghast at Sen. Joker Arroyo. I thought he was a liberal. But lately, his statements in the hearings seem to indicate a fascist at heart. For example, he said that the Anti-Wiretapping Law should not even be discussed in the Senate because everybody (the police, military, etc.) is doing it (wiretapping) anyway and nobody can do anything about it.
Surprisingly, it was the former military general, Sen. Biazon who defended the Senate’s duty to investigate wiretapping abuses. In fact, Gen. Biazon’s ideas throughout the Senate hearings this year were much more liberal, democratic and pro-freedom than the (allegedly) former human rights lawyer Joker Arroyo.
May 2008 bring in peace and prosperity to the Moros, the country and to the world.
IN MEMORIAM
This year saw the passing away of two of my favorite filmmakers – Michelangelo Antonioni, 94 and Ingmar Bergman, 89. I first saw their films in the 1970s while I was in high school. They changed the level of my appreciation for cinema. There will never be filmmakers like them — they were the best.
One of my favorite authors, Norman Mailer, 84, passed away, too. He was one of the writers who inspired me to write.
And the world’s greatest mime actor, Marcel Marceau, 84 also died this year. I was fortunate to see him perform in the 1980s. He was the best of his kind.
Somehow the world seems to be a different place without them.
Two of my favorite cats Amon-Ra and Dionysus, 11 and 10 years old respectively, also passed away this year.
AMON-RA
DIONYSUS