Melo Commision: Whitewash?

The creation of independent investigation body Melo Commission is another Moro-Moro stage by Malacanang Palace. I doubt its independence and fairness due to the presence of two commissionaires from the justice department. They report directly to discredited Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez. It was created to simply show the international community that Arroyo regime was doing something about these abuses and killings, while getting the commission to clear her police and military generals from charges of violations of human rights. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) hinted that the fact finding body Melo Commission is a useless body since the witnesses often feared for their lives while the military made little effort to help with investigations. The new Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Esperon practically cleared retired Army major general Palparan for alleged human right abuses and extra-judicial killings in Central Luzon provinces and Mindoro Island. Military and police authorities investigating political killings already concluded that the communists are perpetrators of the murders without solid proof. Mrs. Gloria Arroyo is held hostage by military and police generals after the aborted February 25, 2006 coup. The discredited Arroyo presidency cannot condemn General Esperon led “military junta” for human right abuses and political killings. She owed the military and police support for political survival. Majority of Filipinos want her to be ousted from power.


US rights watchdog to Gloria Arroyo:
Match rhetoric with action
Link

Kudeta In Thailand

Thailand’s army commander ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a coup. The new military ruler Army commander Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, winning crucial royal backing for his bloodless coup. The Thai coup plotters accused Prime Minister Thaksin of corruption and constant interference with the legislature and the courts. There’s a similarity in the Philippines under corrupt Gloria Arroyo regime. Mrs. Arroyo and Jose Pidal have prostituted the military-police, the lower congress, regional trial courts and anti-graft court Ombudsman. Arroyo cronies and Cabinet men are living beyond their means. They are untouchables and well-protected like Joc-Joc Bolante.

The 1986 EDSA Uprising and EDSA Dos can be considered as a successful coup d’état in the Philippines. Under the corrupt Gloria Arroyo regime, the crooks in the military and police force are well-fed. A well-fed pet dog never bites their master unless beaten or abused. I believe that majority of the Filipino people will support extra-constitutional means to end corrupt Arroyo regime. Who will lead the revolt? Junior and middle level officers are disgruntled with graft and corruption within the military. These idealist officers may lead the ouster of illegitimate President Gloria Arroyo. Thai Prime Minister Thaksin’s alleged corruption is nothing compared to Arroyo’s kleptocracy and abuse of power.

The Philippines does not need a king like Thailand. American Emperor George W. Bush can decide the future of bogus President Gloria Arroyo and a known U.S. puppet. The U.S. cannot “drop” Gloria as long she cooperates in Bush’s pre-emptive war against Islamic radicals in the Philippines. The U.S. Special Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are engage in combat operations in the Mindanao and Sulu Islands in attempt to flush-out Al Qaeda allies- Abu Sayaff and JI partisans. Despite needing to circumvent a constitutional ban on foreign combat troops in Philippines, Mrs. Arroyo has given U.S. forces combat operations under U.S. Forces Visiting Agreement. A Bush administration strategy calls for the preemptive use of military and covert force before an enemy unleashes weapons of mass destruction, and underscores the United States’s willingness to retaliate with nuclear weapons for chemical or biological attacks on U.S. soil or against American troops overseas. The Sulu archipelago becomes the U.S. battleground in the War on Terror. The great pretender Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is Bush’s “unreliable ally” in the War on Terror. The U.S. State Department and the CIA knows the real score of Gloria Arroyo.
Why Emperor Bush is tolerating the human right abuses of the Arroyo regime? Why the U.S. provided new military aid when the military is number one human right violators? Uncle Sam it’s about time to kick-out your unreliable ally!


In pictures: Thailand coup

Down With Philippine-Style Kleptocracy

The World Bank in its Governance Matters 2006 report gave the Philippines a failing mark to curb graft and corruption. Malacanang Palace and Batasan Pambansa are bunches of kleptocrats, liars, crocodiles, shameless bastards and traitors of republican democracy. The democratic principle of government accountability does not exist anymore or D.O.A. as the case of the 2nd impeachment complaint. Lower house’ impeachment rules are twisted just to satisfy their master. Those shameless lawmakers who voted against the impeachment of bogus President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo must pay a high price in the next 2007 election. I believe majority of voters will trash (trapos-basura) them out where they belong. Under corrupt GMA leadership, public officials are immune to congressional inquiry or senate investigation and mostly rewarded for their crimes. The illegitimate Gloria Arroyo government perpetuates kleptocracy in the Philippines. The Filipino people want justice. The United States government with the Group of Eight, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the Summit of the Americas, and the Global Forum on Fighting Corruption has been aggressively addressing issues concerning kleptocracy, including for example by denying safe haven to corrupt officials, to those who corrupt them, their illicitly-acquired assets and prosecuting those engaged in bribery, including in international business transactions. First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo a.k.a. Jose Pidal and Joc-Joc Bolante are living showcase of kleptocracy in the Philippines. NO SAFE HAVENS FOR CORRUPT PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS! Send them-kleptocrats to Pluto or Xena for the rest of their lives. Down with Gloria kleptocracy!

Related Links:
Newslink
Newslink
No Safe Haven For Kleptocrats
PAMUSA

1987 Philippine Constitution Charter Change: People’s Initiative

Black and White Movement Poster
The proposed unicameral system shall abolish the senate. Majority of Philippine senators want to convene Constitutional Convention to REVISE the 1987 Philippine Constitution. The Sigaw ng Bayan people’s initiative can only AMEND the Constitution. Fundamental changes in the proposed parliamentary and federal form of government is categorize as total REVISION of the Constitution. The Malacanang- sponsored people’s initiative is full of deception. Ordinary Filipinos canhardlyunderstand the proposed amendments. It’s impossible in a short period of time that the so-called barangay assembly fully discussed all suggested amendments. Malacanang Palace mobilized local government units to gather petition signatures for charter change thru peoples’ initiative. There is no enabling law allowing the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution. The organizers, Sigaw ng Bayan and ULAP are just fooling the people to sign charter change petition without explaining what they are signing for. Signatories to the petition had been enticed by offers of money and a sack of rice each to sign the petition. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wants consolidate political power in the proposed parliamentary unicameral system. Majority of the Filipino people wants charter change thru Constitutional Convention and after the end of the Arroyo’s presidency.

Mrs. Gloria Arroyo cannot conceal her intent to stay in political power beyond 2010 and obsessive desire for money and material wealth. Arroyo and her congressional cohorts want to impose against the will of the Filipino people a bogus peoples’ initiative for charter change and alternative CON-ASS. They are desperate and do all remedies to satisfy their greed for power. Gloria Arroyo’s greed for power can be traced back in 2001 power grab and massive cheating in 2004 presidential elections. Malacanang sponsored charter change contradicts the aspiration of the Filipino people for economic freedom and genuine republican democracy.

ARTICLE XVII
AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS
Section 1. Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by:
(1) The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members; or
(2) A constitutional convention.

Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution may likewise be directly proposed by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least twelve per centum of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum of the registered voters therein. No amendment under this section shall be authorized within five years following the ratification of this Constitution nor oftener than once every five years thereafter.

The Congress shall provide for the implementation of the exercise of this right.
Section 3. The Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of all its Members, call a constitutional convention, or by a majority vote of all its Members, submit to the electorate the question of calling such a convention.
Section 4. Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution under Section 1 hereof shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than sixty days nor later than ninety days after the approval of such amendment or revision.

Any amendment under Section 2 hereof shall be valid when ratified by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than sixty days nor later than ninety days after the certification by the Commission on Elections of the sufficiency of the petition.

Related Links:
Only Names Verified, Not Signatures in Sigaw ng Bayan-ULAP's PI
Philippine Constitution Article XVII Amendment or Revision
PCIJ
Charter Change