Sunday, March 3, 2013


ANL Jan-Feb 2013 Issue

E D I T O R I A L

What a way to start a new year!?

She was a pretty, promising and multi-awarded seven-year-old first grader at the Tala Elementary School in Caloocan City, Metro-Manila. In a swift and cruel stroke of fate, Stephanie Nicole Ella fainted right there and then while watching fireworks outside her home in Barangay 185 [Tala] the midnight ushering in new year 2013.  A wayward bullet pierced  her skull and injured her brain. She fought off several cardiac arrests in over a day until she finally succumbed to death in a Quezon City hospital four o’clock of January 2.

Year 2013 is said to be most significant in that it falls on the dawning of the first year of the Age of Aquarius which began in 22 December 2012, or a day after the predicted end of the world the previous day, December 21 which, incidentally, wound up the Age of Pisces characterized by 2,000 years of opposing and conflicting ideas. Astrologers say 2013, or the Year of the Water Snake, exudes a façade of a gentler year of wellness and healing, of forgiving, of spirituality and universal love.

But what a way to witness the dawning of a new age; and of a new year 2013!? Asingan NewsLine  shudders at the rapid succession of unsettling events of criminality following Nicole Ella’s debacle. For January alone, and only in the National Capital Region [Metro-Manila] and nearby Calabarzon area [Region 4.A], ANL was able to record about ten major criminal offenses. This is more than two incidents of a major crime in such a small area per week! Alongside this record-high criminality, the country was rocked by two major tragic incidents and two huge financial scams.

In an ensuing press conference at the heel of this disturbing trend in criminality, Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Interior and Local Government shared to media the “deep concern” on the matter of no less than President Noynoy Aquino. But not Secretary Edwin Lacierda, the presidential spokesman, who seems to care less. The ever-grim, erratic and hostile Lacierda put the blame entirely on the media who, he says, just play up all these things and fail to see and report those crime incidents being solved.

In what looks like a “makeover” to deflect attention away from the surge of crimes at the onset of the year, government did some deodorizing of  itself by coming  out in the papers February with some literally self-serving “big news” on the economy growing by an “stellar” 6.6%; and a survey indicating a satisfactory rating of +50 enthralling the Philippine National Police for its crusade against crime, a survey commissioned by no one but itself.

For a sweet icing on the cake, February saw P-Noy’s government ordering the release of a prominent detainee for two years, Ericson Acosta, a song writer-poet and political activist on reason that his arrest was illegal as was the assertion all along of Acosta’s lawyers ever since day one of his detention. The Aquino-friendly Supreme Court likewise ordered an indefinite TRO [temporary restraining order] against the infamous Republic Act 10175 [Cybercrime Prevention Law] upholding the antiquated “crime” of libel. Shame on these pretenses! Acosta’s release and the TRO on RA 10175 were gains from sustained peoples’ protests against  shenanigans of government.

 Not to be outdone, P-Noy displayed his brand of chivalry by trekking into a Maguindanao camp of the Muslim rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front  in February 11 to launch a joint socio-economic project with the MILF dubbed “Sajahatra Bangsamoro” [Peace Bangsamoro] with the hope of speeding up the peace process and eventually forge a peace pact with the bangsamoro people and end the Muslim rebellion in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the President and his Team P-Noy senatorial bets stole a lead over their adversaries in the campaign trail by starting one step too early, invading media as early as the start of the year campaigning in wild abandon way ahead the February 12 start of campaign sorties as if no laws were to be followed. That’s traditional politics [abbreviated “trapo” to mean “basahan” in local lingo, or “rag” in English] lording it over this country of vote buyers, “dagdag-bawas” [plus-minus] vote robbing scheme, “Hello, Garci!” electoral scam, and more.

The “merry-go-round” for the country’s midterm elections commenced February 12 with the start of campaigning for senatorial and party-list candidates. It was a noisy and unruly beginning with the likes of character assassination and rampant violation of ComElec rules and regulations. And while the Liberal Party kick-off rally at Plaza Miranda, Quiapo is about to wind up early evening February 12, a former campaign coordinator of President Noynoy Aquino, Yassen Ibrahim, was shot and critically wounded from two gunshots fired by an unknown gunman while on the way home just across the road opposite the campaign rally site.

Yes, it’s more fun [and funds!], and danger, too, on election time in the Philippines!  editorial board


N  E  W  S  L  I  N  E 

Election fever heats up!

ASINGAN—“It’s quite sober over there.., at least for now,”  retorts a media worker-friend who shuttles back and forth Manila and Asingan on weekends. He’s reacting nonchalantly to a phoned query of this writer as to whether politics is brewing hot at home or not. “Money talks?” this writer egged him on. “Rumors say so,” coyly said he. “Indicators?” “Well, one of three contenders is super-rich,” he says pointedly. “And this politician reportedly bought some votes the last time around,” he hastens to add.

Finally, the mayoral toss up will be among three contenders, namely: Incumbent Mayor Heidee Chua, Incumbent Vice-Mayor Eleanor Viray, and the thorn among the two roses, Benny Robeniol.

Asingan had her share of  dark stories of politicking in the tradition of “gold-guns-goons” during the pre-martial law days. Quite a fortune now in terms of peace of mind for all Asinganians that local elections here in post-martial law era were relatively less-violent and the freedom of suffrage generally uncompromised.

What is fearsome though is the unfading power of the “gold” factor and the prevalent menace called “political dynasty” ruled by rich and powerful families, or political clans. Not a few local voters here were alleged to be still delighted at the prospect of cashing in on the campaign period. “Well, take the cash and vote for what we want,” affirms an adult local voter interviewed by ANL.  jlsevilla

--o0o—

Pangasinan Governor Espino on “hot seat”

Meanwhile, at the provincial level, the political climate is somewhat notches up the barometer. Wrangling about a province-wide  multi-billion racket in Pangasinan called “jueteng”—a numbers game—seized public attention late last year resulting to the filing of plunder against incumbent Pangasinan governor Amado Espino early this year by an alleged and erstwhile collector-bagman of his, Bugallon town mayor Rodrigo Orduna. Governor Espino is alleged to be the “jueteng lord” of the province, an accusation he vehemently denies branding it as “politically motivated”.  

Espino is being challenged for the gubernatorial post by Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, nephew of former president Fidel Ramos and a former cabinet secretary of the late former president Cory Aquino. Braganza, a liberal party stalwart in the province, prides Alaminos as a jueteng-free city of Pngasinan—one of only two or three local government units free of jueteng’s syndicated operations.

But Governor Espino could not as yet sit down in comfort after brushing aside the jueteng case he is facing as “politically motivated”. A non-bailable case of murder was filed February 12 by the NBI  against him and first district solon Jesus Celeste who, according to a witness, planned the killing of Infanta mayor Ruperto Martinez December 15 last year. This time, respondents Espino and Celeste brush aside the murder case as sort of “black propaganda”. Indeed, in politics—Philippine style—there are no permanent friends, only permanent enemies.  rcdiaz

--o0o—


Asingan town, Makati City forge “Twinning Agreement”

Going back to Asingan, here goes what looks like a “hotcake” of a  news:  Asingan town forges “Sisterhood”  with Makati City!

Asingan town and the City of Makati signed January 29, 2013 an Agreement for the Establishment of a Twinning Relationship by and between the two local government units with the end in view of “strengthening ties through exchanges in science and technology, culture and arts, tourism, planning and urban development, commerce/trade and industry, education and sports development, environmental protection, public health and social services”.

Not bad. It’s well said and, in fact, done. But in the name of fair play and transparency, some gnawing questions demand some objective answers. Credit grabbing at the expense of the real doer-achiever taste bad in the mouth at this time when politicians are direly afflicted with election fever.

First, who, by the way, is the author-sponsor of the resolution leading to the formulation of said twinning agreement? Our research says that the resolution was authored by no less than Atty. Roseller “Bong” Viray, sitting town councilor of Asingan and brother-in-law of Vice-Mayor Eleanor Viray.

Second, and most importantly, to whom shall we credit the original idea and initiative to forge Asingan to a twinning relation with Makati? Is it the idea and initiative of Asingan’s incumbent Chua administration? ANL’s  research points otherwise. “Wala pa si Heidee Chua sa pulitika when the original idea cropped up and the very first step towards that relation was initiated,” asserts a former town councilor of Asingan now living abroad. “It is only now that it is being formalized through a resolution on the matter sponsored by no less than Councilor Bong Viray,” clarifies the former local official who refused to be named being friend to all three mayoralty candidates.  

Asingan NewsLine  pieced up this revealing story from various sources, thus: Years ago in a conference of the members and officers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Atty. Jejomar Binay, then Mayor of Makati [not yet a city then], met a certain Atty. Jing Viray, then President of IBP-Pangasinan Chapter. In a “tete-a-tete” between the two “companeros”, the idea of forging a sister-to-sister [“twinning”]  relation by and between the municipalities of Asingan and Makati cropped up.

For years, the idea was not realized soon as expected for reasons known only to the two “companeros” dealing on the matter. Then comes Councilor Bong Viray’s wake-up  resolution formalizing the agreement. Better late than never, we might say, but then we must thank all the parties concerned including the local municipal council in whose lap landed the twinning resolution and voted on it affirmatively. Thanks is due no less to Companeros J. Binay and J. Viray who jointly fathered the landmark idea and the initiative. Atty. Jing Viray, by the way, is husband to Vice-Mayor Eleanor Villanueva-Viray and brother to Councilor Bong Viray.  rdantonio


P U N C H L I N E 

Commentary:  Tragic incidents, scams and scandals

“Grandma of all scandals!”

While the joyful spirit of yuletide season 2012  envelopes the air and a predicted good year in 2013 heightens hope and optimism, huge amounts of money change hands at the august chamber of the Senate in what is seen as a scandalous multi-million peso gift-giving spree with no less than the honorable senators themselves as beneficiary-recipients. So-called the “upper house” of Congress of the Philippines, the House of the Senate sits with the House of Representatives [the “lower house” ] constituting the legislative branch of government—a co-equal branch in tandem with the Executive and Judicial branches leading a tripartite system of governance.

The stunning bonanza cashing out a cool PhP100 million dragged into 2013 when Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago spilled the beans January 9 in a radio interview  depicting Juan Ponce Enrile, the Senate President, a virtual Santa Claus distributing  on yearend some PhP1.618 million each for 18 senators as “cash gifts” and “additional budget”. 

Whistleblower Santiago, Antonio Trillanes IV and siblings Allan Peter and Pia Cayetano received a measly amount of PhP250,000.00 each, igniting a heated wrangling and whining by and between the “favored” and “disfavored” camps in the supposedly august body that is the Senate of the Philippines. “It’s a grandma of all scandals!” grumbles Santiago.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer described as “gutter, ugly and personal” the ensuing fracas between the two camps in its January 24 banner headline. “It was not only dirty linen being washed in public.., but soiled panties, bras and briefs were made to dry on the clothesline as well for all the public to see,” wrote Ramon Tulfo in his PDI column the  next day.

Before the bickering, Santiago gave Enrile biscuits for a present on Christmas. The elderly senator promptly returned the biscuits as he is known to have resented the lady senator’s vote favoring the Reproductive Health Bill. Santiago was quick on the draw as she gives back Enrile’s cash. Senator Allan Peter Cayetano broke into the scene assailing Enrile’s actions even as Senator Panfilo Lacson comes to the rescue for his embattled aging boss and former martial law architect-administrator, JPE. A brickbat ensues among the “honorable” men and women of the Senate.

Asingan NewsLine won’t dare dip a finger into a gutter of liars, cheats and hypocrites hiding behind the walls of a supposed “august chamber” of Congress. Afterall, the chameleons conveniently hanging on here-and-there missed the point altogether. In defending Enrile [who grins ear-to-ear!], Lacson rationalizes that cash changing hands at yearend in the form of “gifts” and “bonuses” is a practice done in Congress since time immemorial. “It’s legal and discretionary on my part,” assumes the lawyer in Enrile.

 There lies the booboo in Lacson and Enrile. Consider this: “When things are done all the time, in all places, by all of us, comes a time that we believe these things to be right even when they are not.” Corollary to this: “Not all things legal are morally upright.”

Lounging in pompous living , lavish kickback and comfort is despicable in the midst of 40-60% of the population extremely poor and hungry. It pains more the poor seeing the astute politicians squandering both the peoples’ vote of trust and taxes. “Hindi sa inyo ang mga pondo na ‘yan, sa taumbayan ‘yan, mga ungas!” retorts an angry Mang Pandoy.

A hundred million PhP can go a long way in helping distressed areas like the victims of typhoons “Sendong” and “Pablo”—in replacing destroyed books and classrooms, and in providing relief goods, medical services and supplies. With a six-year senate term, senators can in fact dish out a whooping PhP600 million to the poor during the period. Senators were said to be earning 10% [or 20 million PhP] from their pork barrel of PhP200 million a year, or a huge “kickback” of PhP120 million in six years per senator.

Not to mention numerous perks, “diskarte” or “palusot” that a highly budgeted Congress the Filipino taxpayers had to bear. It is lamentable to note that Congress—the Legislative Branch of government—formulates and approves the country’s annual budget, e.g., including their own.

No wonder Senator Santiago taunts her senate colleagues [ergo, herself too!] for being poker-faced in squandering peoples’ money while earning that much in a shameless and scandalous way.  riabalino

--o0o—


Amalilio’s Aman Futures  amasses 12 billion-peso fortune!

Another one for the record is a financial scam so huge that it duped over 15,000 people wherein a company called Aman Futures Group owned by Manuel K. Amalilio siphoned off a whooping sum of PhP12 billion from its victims in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur; other parts of Mindanao; and up to Cebu City in the Visayas.

This “Ponzi-type”  [“pyramiding” ] business scheme of Amalilio’s Aman Futures lured so easily many investors with an assurance of a high “return on investment” [ROI] ranging from 30-80 percent depending on the “tenure” [maturity period] and amount of the cash invested by a client.

When the “sailing get rough” for Aman Futures in paying its dubiously high ROIs to investors who started filing complaints September 2012, and even before the victims can file a “syndicated estafa” case against Aman’s owner Manuel Amalilio, company offices closed down and the erring businessman and 38 of his cohort-personnel were nowhere to be found. On November 14, the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed that Amalilio had indeed flown abroad to Kota Kinabalu in neighboring Malaysia as he was said to be a citizen of that country.

Pyramiding scams were decades old, on-and-off capers victimizing not-so-smart local folks right under the nose of authorities. In the case of Amalilio and his Aman Futures, Pagadian City’s Mayor Samuel Co and his wife were implicated by knowing victims and not a hint of early warning has been sounded off to the innocent victims.

Another case of corrupt government official colluding with a syndicate to amass wealth? We’re afraid so, even as lots of tragic incidents, scams and scandals come and go unsolved and forgotten along the “daan na matuwid”. This case is seven [7] months running, dragging not-so-well into year 2013 without nowhere to go but wait. The extradition effort of government to get Amalilio back home to face his crimes was overran by yet another major caper—the Sultanate of Sulu’s reclaiming of “North Borneo” [Sabah] heating up into a “stand-off” early this year. But that is another story.

--o0o—

Milking a “holy cow”?

Talking of corrupt officials in government, let’s take a look at a recent imbroglio at the PCSO that is alleged to be a “milking cow” and a “nest of corruption”. Commission on Audit recently singled out the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to be at it when the betting agency lavishly spent for itself by dishing out hundreds of millions [PhP 303 M] worth of various cash allowances, Christmas gifts and grocery bonuses to its employees.

While overly generous to its employees, COA says that the PCSO used the agency’s Provident Fund for the lavish spending when this is clearly intended by law for personnel retirement benefits. A 129-page COA Report covering PCSO’s Operation in 2011 and released December 2012 [published only this February] describes the expenditure as “excessive”, “irregular” and “unauthorized”.

In auditing the fund, COA also found out that some PhP92.3 million in medical aid to PCSO employees was wrongly charged to the Charity Fund instead of the Operating Fund. “This is an improper disbursement of government funds and reduced the financial aid to indigent patients who are the true beneficiaries of the PCSO’s Charity Fund,” clarifies Mr. Wilfredo Agito, COA’s Director for Corporate Government Sector in his letter to the PCSO Board. COA likewise found out the PCSO board of directors to have received PhP 9.61 million unauthorized salaries and allowances in 2011.

Moreover, per diems for board and committee meetings and draw allowances totaling  PhP 5.5 million were paid without the necessary supporting documents saying if people actually attended such meetings and draws,” Agito insists. “The validity, accuracy and existence of property, plant and equipment amounting to PhP 1.32 billion could not be ascertained and validated due to insufficient accounting and property records,” further reveals Agito. “Cash in bank account balances under the Operating Fund with an aggregate amount of PhP 1.37 billion was of doubtful validity,” adds Agito.

Both COA and the PCSO are government agencies. COA likewise audits the Senate of the Philippines albeit less stringently as a mere “certification” would do instead of an OR [official receipt]. Yup, politicians embowel ‘em ‘ol with piety!
   
--o0o—

“Lolong”  is a croc, not a prop!

So it’s February, heralding a sad sequel to a discomforting start of a new year. On February 10, our prize catch “Lolong”—a saltwater crocodile captured alive September 2013 in Mindanao with a Guinness record-size of 20.4 ft. [6.12 meters] died with still unclear or definitive reason as of this writing. Animal rights advocates surmise that “stress”  due to unsuitable environment caused Lolong’s death. This could be true as initial findings of government probers say that “pneumonia” due to stress is the apparent cause.

 “Lolong” was a victim to an apparent insensitivity and ignorance of profit-seekers treating the hapless reptile not as a “croc” but a “prop”;  or a “pay per view” sort of “thing” with the captors quite unknowing of its biological character and habitation needs. The giant creature was virtually imprisoned in a tiny and totally strange and alienating  environment. There goes history, and “Lolong” likened to the local saying: “Ginto na, naging bato pa!” [a “gem-turned-stone”].  Mang Pandoy muses: “Ang dami namang buwaya ‘dun sa kongreso, ba’t si Lolong pa?”

--o0o—


Mine cave-in takes five more lives

 At near midnight on “Ash Wednesday”,  February 13, 18 miners were trapped in a cave-in caused by landslide at the country’s largest coal mine, Semirara Mining Corporation, located on Semirara Island, Caluya town, Antique province in the Visayas. Five of the mine workers were declared later to have died, three barely escaped, and five missing.

This tragic incident is the third to occur in various mining sites in the country over the last six [6] months. Misfortunes such as this one are a part of the work hazards mine workers have to bear. Anti-mining advocates assert that mining is perilous to the health; it kills people in the same manner that it kills the environment.

--o0o—


Foreign vessel sinks off Bolinao, oil spill feared

A foreign ship sinks off Bolinao, Pangasinan at around midnight February 16 reportedly because of engine trouble it encountered while approaching Cape Bolinao. The ship, MV Harita Bauxite, bears the Myanmar flag and is China-bound from Indonesia. One was reported to have died, nine rescued by men of a passing Chinese vessel, MV Jin Cheng, and 14 others were missing, all from a 24-man crew.

Ten days later, oil were observed floating along the seashores of ten towns in La Union and Ilocos Sur provinces, a mid-portion of North Luzon’s Region 1 [Ilocos]. Some authorities and close observers attribute the oil presence in the area to the sinking of MV Harita Bauxite which is quite close and directly across Cape Bolinao where the Myanmar ship sank.  


--o0o--


Sleeping boy hit by stray bullet

An innocent boy, John Kerth Galang, 17, was hit by a stray bullet while sleeping at home about 3am February 19 in the same area—“Bukid Area”—of Caloocan City where seven year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella was fatally hit also by a wayward bullet while watching revelries at midnight welcoming new year 2013.

According to John’s mother Marivic Galang, 49, she was roused from sleep by a gunshot and it was then that she saw his son’s head bloodied and rushed him to a nearby Jose Rodriguez Hospital at Barangay Tala, Caloocan where the late Nicole resides. John was later on transferred to East Avenue for a critical operation of his swelling head where a bullet is still lodged.

 Initial police and barangay investigation results say that a commotion and two gunshots were heard at around the time John Kerth was seen hurt. Suspected fraternity men were seen fleeing the area and two slugs were found in the vicinity alleged to be that of a caliber .45 handgun.

The east portion of Caloocan City, termed in whole as “Bukid Area”, is known to be inhabited by a number of retired and active duty police and military personnel making it suspect that not a few of them possess guns of their own. The prime suspects in the fatal shooting of Nicole Ella were police and military men.

Sad though that until now no conclusive result yet has come out and no one has yet been held responsible for the killing of the young and promising Nicole. In the case of John Kerth, police are still groping in the dark with not a single credible lead. It’s even more fearsome to think that even a sleeping innocent boy, or anyone for that matter, is safe from a blazing gun.

--o0o—


3 big drug convicts “snatched” from jail guards

In a gangland style seen only in the movies, a “running story is on the shoot” in Cavite province just south next to Metro-Manila midmorning of February 20 when about 20 heavily armed men held to a halt a vehicle bearing three notorious Chinese drug dealers and “snatched” them out from their guards at gunpoint.

The three Chinese nationals identified by police as Li Lan Yan, alias Jackson Dy; his wife Wang Li Na; and Li Tian Hua were abducted about 10am on a highway at Barangay Lapidalio, Trece Martirez City, Cavite while on their way to a court hearing for another drug-related case. The three are convicted in an earlier case April 2009 for drug trafficking, a non-bailable case.

Arrested in 2003, the three were alleged by police investigators to have “bought” their freedom by paying a syndicate a whooping sum of PhP 140 million to spring them out from captivity. Jackson Dy is believed to be one of the biggest drug lords in the country before his arrest, amassing billion-worth of drug money, real state, and other properties.

The bitter pill in this spectacular heist was seen in initial progress on the case implicating men in uniform and even an elected village chief [barangay chairman] as culprits and/or members of the abducting group or syndicate.

The four ill-equipped and outnumbered jail guards were a pity at the hands of their attackers showing ineptness of higher authorities in planning and handling such a mission of escorting big and hardened criminals and their allied syndicates.

The power of cash and connection work—as usual—in favor of the corrupt and the criminal. So distinctly, in the Philippines.

--o0o--


“Killer field trips!”

Killer Field Trip 1: Tanay, Rizal.
It’s supposed to be a happy weekend for these young high school students of the Holy Spirit Academy in Malolos, Bulacan enjoying an otherwise educational field trip out there in chic and scenic Camp Capinpin in Tanay town, Rizal province one bright afternoon of February 8 when this freak accident spoiled it all.

According to witnesses’ accounts, Rio Bianca Ramirez, 14, and two of her classmates identified only as Chelsea and Pamela were merrily taking pictures of the camp’s surrounding while some colleagues boarded up their hired bus parked nearby to take some rest.

Unknown to the happy trio, the bus was moving towards them with Chelsea noticing it first but paid not much attention as she was thinking the driver was behind the wheel. The horrified class stood frozen as the bus pinned Rio Bianca to a military truck, her young face crushed and her brains squeezed out of her head.

Chelsea managed to jump out of the bus’ way leaving her friends Bianca and Pamela in its path. Rescuers managed to pull Pamela out from the wreckage but she succumbed to her serious injuries and died in a hospital days later.

Investigators later said that the driver switched on the bus’ engine and air-conditioning unit for some students wanting to rest and left the bus to fetch water for the radiator. The driver apparently forget to pull up the bus’ handbrake. When the improvised “object” he inserted between the wheel and the road pavement to prevent the vehicle from moving, the bus accidentally rolled over and hit Bianca and Pamela.

Again, as usual, and for the nth time, various quarters including government aimlessly whine as to what went wrong, whose fault and what to do. But these are mere reactive potshots until the next alarm comes along and some more precious lives wasted.

Asingan NewsLine is a bit heady on why the driver is alone with no assisting personnel like say a “ bus conductor” or an assisting [reliever] driver?

--o0o--


Killer Field Trip 2: Tuba, Benguet.
Why the rush to travel down the long, steep and winding Marcos highway extending from Baguio City down to hilly La Union province before hitting the safer plains of Pangasinan’s first town of Sison at near-midnight; and with young college students and professors as passengers? Highly experienced professional drivers much familiar with the terrain dare traverse the distance under darkness.

 These are the obstacles overlooked by those who made the decision to go back home on that fateful night of February 21 when a tourist bus bearing students and teachers of the Marinduque State College crashed head-on with a ten-wheeler food container truck along the highway at Badiwan Area in Tuba town, Benguet province killing on the spot seven, two most seriously hurt, while the rest of 41 on board were less fatally injured but likewise taken to Baguio City General Hospital and Medical Center for treatment.

One of those most seriously hurt, student Joana Pizarra,19, became the 8th fatality when she succumbed to her injuries and died at the hospital a week after the crash. The other who is more fortunate than Joana, Florilyn Zulueta, 19, survived the fatal accident. The two teachers, Jenny Liza Lantoria, 29, and Mariel Mingi, 26, were among those who perished on-the-spot. One of two drivers and a tour guide likewise died at crash site. Others were transferred to the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital in Quezon City for treatment of their fracture injuries.

Asingan NewsLine is again giddy on two more questions which could possibly be pertinent in answering some evolving query: 1.Why that far for  a field trip, Marinduque to Ilocos-Baguio City? Are there not feasible areas in between? With the distance, is it not so expensive for provincial students and their parents?  2. Why rent a “colurum” bus, a non-franchise vehicle? The dead and the injured deserve no less than non-giddy answers.

--o0o--


Boracay Island Resort, October 2012.
In a rather kinky twist of events, two hotel and restaurant management students from Arellano University in Manila drowned one after the other October 3, 2012 in one night and at the same site in the island-resort of Boracay in Antique province when swamped by big waves while swimming on waters observed to be relatively huge on that particular day.

 A third fatality, identified as Dabie Pedrosa, a local tourist, who tried to rescue student Gino Socito, the first to drown early evening, also died in his heroic try to save a life. The second student, Matthew Yambao, was drowned later in the night in the same circumstance as Socito’s.

This was last year, but the point here is the fact that these students were required to attend far away and expensive field trips with accompanying “waivers” required by schools to get away with any responsibility whatsoever in case of accidents occurring while the burdened student is performing such requirement.

By any account, the demise of young and promising students in a dismally planned field trips is unconscionable. Young lives are as precious as a good future and far weightier than money.

  
F  E  A  T  U  R  E

So-called “Revolution”, February 1986: False hype!

Note Bene: This is not a revolutionary, much less a Marxist’s point of view.
                      This is just a pool of ideas researched and collated by ANL
                      Research Desk for reading.

A "genuine revolution" is comprehensive, not "selective". A "genuine revolution" is "discriminating" and/or "biased", that is, in favor of the “underdog”—the poor who were long oppressed and violated]. The "end-result" of a "genuine revolution" does not favor the "bureaucrats" or "trapos" [traditional politicians]; not the big landlords or hacienderos; not the foreign monopoly capitalists or transnational corporations [TNCs]. A "genuine revolution" abrogates onerous agreements and dubious foreign debts.  

A "genuine revolution" foster "revolutionary justice" to the extent of using "revolutionary force" or an "extremely justified and/or necessary defensive--if not offensive--violent reaction" from an oppressed populace. A "genuine revolution" frees and uplifts society from an old and rotten socio-cultural and politico-economic system to a higher and new and genuinely free, democratic, just & prosperous society. Genuine democracy entails democracy for the oppressed class, not for the oppressor.

A “true revolution” is handing power to the poor, oppressed and violated. A “true revolution “ is a liberating experience for a whole country and not for a selected few. “True revolution” results to a countrywide “genuine land reform” with nary a square inch of land in exemption as did Hacienda Luisita and other vast tracts of land owned by the rich and powerful.

A “true revolution” entails a “genuine nationalist industrialization”, a “ free and genuinely sovereign foreign policy, and a genuine opportunity in nurturing a Filipino socialist perspective.

To call the upheaval on EDSA in February 1986 a “revolution” is a fallacious term or calling. The so-called “revolution” at EDSA is most precise and accurate to call it a "people's uprising" that ousted a hated dictatorship resulting to a mere handing of power to a new set of rich and powerful elite, "trapos", big business [both local & foreign], & haciendero/comprador families comprising about a mere one [1] percent of the country's  97 million population.

Your free, independent and brilliant analysis could very well augment this modest collation done by ANLeditorial board, anl  



L  I  T  E  R  A  R  Y

A. Afghan Info War

"According to our mainstream media, civilians don't exist in large parts of the world.

There are no Iraqis
There are no Afghans
There are no Libyans
There are no Malians
There are No Syrians
There are no Pakistanis
There are no Iranians
None of these countries have
Mothers
Fathers
Sisters
Brothers
Uncles
Daughters
Sons
Aunts
Farmers
Bakers
Teachers
Bus drivers
Technicians
Dentist
Students
School children
Shop workers

There are only
Islamists
Jihadists
Militants
Terrorist
Alqaeda
Taliban
Fundamentalists
Quranists
Militia
Extremists

The military have their own terminology
Towel Heads
Sand Niggers
Etcetera…

This is how we dehumanize people we plan to rob and murder to justify it to ourselves and each other. This is how we can murder them in vast numbers and not feel the need to keep a body count and this is why we have no guilt or remorse. And yes this why we call the murderers heroes."

Via: Soldiers are not heroes. They are tools of war.


B. Quote, Unquote






E  D I T O R I A L     B  O A R D

MEMBERSRudy D. Antonio [Canada Correspondent];  Engr. Silver Casilla  &  RN Merly Grospe-Mayo [U.S. Correspondents];  Ronilo R. Corpuz [Vienna Correspondent];  Fely Dumaguing-Malgapo [Milan Correspondent];  Engr. Joe  L. Sevilla [Asingan Correspondent];  Col. Lalin Layos-Pascual;  Ross C. Diaz;  Engr. Lorie  dG.  Estrada;  CPA Rod A. Layco;  Wena Agaton-Balino [Photo & Lay-out Artist];  Ruben “Bencio” Balino [ Editor-In-Chief].