RedBlueThoughts

Joma Sison’s insights continue to amaze political pundits in this country. Despite being away for so long in exile, Joma’s statements still packs a punch. Recently, the former CPP Chairman’s statements were published. This is about his own views on the “presidentiables”. He says that the man to watch is Defense Secretary Teodoro.

I wrote in Filipinovoices.com that Teodoro is really Gloria’s closest ace for the elections. I heard from one of the closest advisers of the devil infant that she’s grooming Teodoro to replace her. This is a stark contrast to some views that Noli’s the “anointed one”. I don’t believe it for a second. Noli remains popular in perception; yet the prospect of him winning the top plum is, I think, more speculative than anything.

However, I am quite surprised why our last remaining credible Marxist-Leninist-Mao Tsetung resident head seems too engrossed on elections. If I remember my Marxism, elections are to be frown upon is’nt? Was that statement an indirect admission by the CPP top leadership that they’re abandoning the oust gloria before 2010 movement and instead, looking forward to 2010? If that is the direction, then, quite possibly, does this mean that the CPP head honcho is more concerned now with the survival of the party’s representatives in Congress than push thru with the protracted people’s war?

That’s the problem with the current CPP leadership–it’s wishy-washy. It does not have the strong backbone we, the people, expect it to have. I expect Joma to lambast Gloria’s government for its continued oppression of the people. I expect Joma etal to convince the public to participate in the continuing struggle rather than set their sights on the 2010 elections. Is the party going the pacifist route? Has the looong struggle already mellowed the leadership, numbing their ideological selves and turning them into veritable compromisers?

This is another problem–the “protractiveness” of this people’s war. When is it going to ascend the next stage–from strategic stalemate to strategic victory? Are we going to wait another 40 years before this revolutionary victory becomes reality? Are these stages just products of Joma’s fertile imagination or these are reality-based analytics going haywire?

I have been analyzing what happened to Bayan Muna and Anakpawis and why did they suddenly went into silent mode with the Meralco issue. The last statement I heard was a praise for the Arroyo administration for granting a measly 10 pesos wage hike. What the..? Are we being inconsistent here?

After the riotous “tea party” over at Meralco a day after, three successive criminal events happened. Yesterday, a terrorist attack killed 2 people and injured scores of others in Zamboanga City. As of presstime, police are still investigating who masterminded this dastardly crime. Whoever it was, surely, this attack showed that the Bangsamoro rebellion is now assuming a different and critical level, reminiscent of the 2000 war. It could be an attack to pressure government to return to the peace table. Or, it could be part of JI training of new recruits. Whatever the cause, this has serious implications both in national and regional security.

A love-torn hostage taker killed one of his hostages yesterday at Lubao Pampanga. A certain “Rey” reportedly held a Genesis bus bound to Cubao at gunpoint and held its passengers hostage after his wife left him. After releasing most of his victims, police crack teams pounced on him, killing him.

Another notorious criminal was killed yesterday by members of the newly formed RCBC Task Force. A certain Montano was gunned down while allegedly buying grocery over at Camp Aguinaldo, an AFP camp. Police claimed that Montano was part of the gang who mowed 11 people down and took more than 20 million pesos worth of loot.

Were all these incidents related? To an untrained eye, no. Except for the first incident, the two other incidents are aberrations. However, note that these violent incidents happened two days after the riot in Meralco. Were these incidents a sociological reaction to a perceived chaotic situation? What prompted Rey to ran amuck and become a hostage-taker? What’s the relevance of May 29 in the criminal mind of the terrorist who blew up those people in Zamboanga? And why was Montano killed by police yesterday? Was it chance encounter? Or a setup?

Probably, they are all unrelated. Expect criminal incidents to increase in the next few weeks, an anticipated social reaction to the perceived chaotic and depressing socio-economic-political landscape.

Stockholders dumped Meralco shares today, bringing down the price to 60 pesos per share. The market remains jittery over the long-term effects of a prolonged Meralco-GSIS row. Winston Garcia’s threat against Meralco chairman Manolo Lopez that he’ll better relinquish the chairmanship to govermment or else sends a different signal to private enterprise. This row has long-term implications not only to the business sector but even in the political stability of this country.

I am surprised though on the muted reactions of political figures in this fight. In fact, I am not hearing anything from any politician in defense of Meralco. By maintaining silence and positioning themselves as “neutral”, these groups are de facto siding with the government against Meralco. Groups should realize that this fight is not about the Lopezes losing control of the firm. No. This is actually a fight of principles. It is a debate between the prevailing global practice of open societies against closed ones. It is a fight between government’s creeping totalitarianism against free enterprise.

Whoever controls the distribution of energy controls the country. By allowing Gloria to destroy Meralco, we are actually allowing her to reconsolidate her powerbase, thereby ensuring her continued stay in power. Civil society groups believe that this is just a fight between elites, hence, not fit to intervene.

I see otherwise. I see this as a ploy by Gloria to further strengthen her base and enable her to perpetuate herself in power beyond 2010. We should not be misled by this issue. More than ever, we need to be very vigilant because, let me repeat myself, whoever controls the distribution of electricity controls the very lifeblood of industry in this country. A government running both generation and distribution of power can very well use this as an extortion tool against any business enterprise critical of its governance style.

Groups critical of Arroyo should set aside partisan political or personal animosities against the Lopezes and unite against this government slowly turning more powerful by the day. A more powerful Gloria, as history shows, would further move brazenly against enemies–perceived or otherwise.

There’s a new group out there promoting what they call the “New Revolution.” Check it out at http://www.tayo-na.com. I’ve checked their site and it’s a very simple organization calling for changes in Philippine society. It’s unique because it does not have the mumbo jumpo traps of an ideology nor do it promote a new one. Quite simply, the organization wants to address the basic issues and promote basic answers to societal problems we face as a people.

Change, I presume, starts with enlightenment. This organisation strives to enlighten the masses of the need for change. Promoting no concrete platform for regime change, yet the organisation hits the core of the problems by encouraging people to talk. Initiating discussions is one of the most effective means towards change. It makes people think hard about their situation and builds up the desire to change their environment a lot faster. Being free from the trappings of traditional critiques nor ideologies, this organisation could very well encapsulate what this blogsite is all about–sparking internal discussions amongst Filipinos of all ages, thereby spreading the word and widening the broad sector involvement in true, genuine revolution.

It is time for us to talk, that’s what this organisation wants us to do. For years, we have been explaining ourselves before foreigners and those from the outside. It is time for us to talk amongst ourselves and strive for a collective platform that promotes what we believe are long-lasting solutions to age-old problems.

Hence, in this new paradigm for change, the role played by the intellectual entrepreneur is all the more emphasized. The Intellectual Entrepreneur promotes knowledge and enlightenment. He/she strives to influence policy-making in government through his pen. He/she acts in concordance with democratic principles yet imbued with critical social thinking that makes change possible, both on the microcosm and macrocosm.

The intellectual entrepreneur is alive in every blogger who writes here in the blogsphere. Bloggers and social changers out there doing political work are intellectual entrepreneurs. They are the new class who will lead the broad masses to victory in this new era of revolutions.

Let’s set aside our partisan thoughts about the Lopezes and pause for a while and think about the repercussions of today’s Meralco stockholder’s meeting.

True enough, as what we wrote in the Filipinovoices.com, Garcia’s ploy of using proxies backfired. The Lopezes mustered more than the number of proxies that Garcia was able to generate. Realizing this a day earlier, Garcia filed a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It was, however, too late in the game. Garcia was distracted by numerous media inquiries that he failed to do his assignment.

Those scenes we saw on TV Patrol and over at ANC shows you graphically how government interference could backfire and lead to a real mess. That scene showing Garcia standing up and shouting at all those stockholders show you how a member of Gloria’s mafia gang thinks about himself as an overlord of this country.

Surely, the ruckus created by the government in a private entreprise such as Meralco could dampen investor confidence in the independence and integrity of the local business community. Those scenes of confusion, of chaos, and of disorder shows one how messy a situation would become if government interferes in a legitimate business operation. True, the Lopezes could be profitting more than it can legally chew. True, the Lopezes could be mismanaging Meralco and charging us exorbitant fees. And true, the Lopezes could be entering into those sweetheart deals that impacts on the rates they’re charging us.

Yet, the cost of dislodging this aristocrat from their crown jewel is more expensive than its intended result. The intended result is a lowered electricity rate, right? But, if done in an expensive gambit like this could do more harm than good. Imagine these scenes being repeated in other countries’ television, what would foreign investors think about us? How many billions of dollars’ worth of investment did we lose? How many billions more did we lose in tourism? Quite considerable if I may be asked.

Government’s continued harassment and intimidation tactics against the Lopezes set a very dangerous precedent. It shows how this government is slowly turning into a rapacious corporate raider and destroyer of enterprise. It shows that government is using the people’s money for corporate raids which will not in any way, benefit the suffering Filipino People.

This gambit of Gloria backfired. First, it showed how powerful the Lopezes are compared with the Garcias, the Aboitizes, the Alcantaras, and the Arroyos of this land. Second, it showed how teethless the SEC is. And third, it shows how inept and foolish government becomes when the people allow it to continually perpetuate its proto-dictatorial powers especially on businesses.

I hate to say it, but this gambit of Garcia could further erode the people’s confidence and could be used to justify extra-constitutional means to dislodge this evil regime from the face of the Motherland.

Business and civil society should unite and show Gloria the true source of power. Let everyone unite behind the movement for change and throw this evil regime out. Then, after throwing them out and exiling them to China, then, let’s resume this fight against the Lopezes. By then, the entire nation would probably rally behind us.

Two days ago, the Philippine Daily Inquirer got the bait and released JDV’s bold prediction: the Arroyo administration will fall if he testifies before the Senate on the anomalous ZTE deal. In a matter-of-factly, the former Speaker proclaimed that he knows everything about the deal. And he’ll reveal it in the proper time.

This is the last statement made after previous statements of opposition figures emerged in the last few weeks prior to the expected fireworks in the resurrected ZTE Senate probe. However, I hate to say it, but the Speaker’s claim that his revelation will bring down this regime is…well..dubious.

One, the timing is off. He should have said this at the height of the controversy. Why did it took him months before this epiphany? When after all things have been said and done, here comes JDV positioning himself as the man of the hour. Right now, people, like myself, are doubting about JDV’s integrity and the clarity of his objective. What prodded him to tell the world about this now? Is this his way of again, pressing for favors before the palace? We know JDV to be another wheeler-dealer. Is there another compromise, former Speaker? Is this some sort of attempt to pressure or even gain some favours given that you’re now, out of power?

When you were speaker, you had that great chance to help your suffering people improve their lives by just allowing those impeachment complaints to pass the test of validity. Yet, you thumbed them down.

You had the chance to pass legislation that would shield us from cha-cha, yet you allowed this ghost to haunt us until now and even gave additional powers to the one that deposed you.

How sure are the people that what you are doing now is really above board?

Second, JDV’s image and reputation has been destroyed beyond redemption. He does’nt have the savvy swagger of a Chavit nor the PR naturalese of a Mary Ong to pull this regime down. People still see him as your average Joe the Trapo. His handlers, whoever they are, failed to cleanse his name.

Lastly, probably a few people will rally behind JDV for one simple reason–he’s not a charismatic leader. He does’nt have a proven track record in boosting the morale of people. In fact, ask his provincemates and they’ll tell you that Joe dances with Europeans and Americans more than he dances with them in their regular Saturday parties.

It would take more than a JDV revelation to bring down this regime. It’ll take an honest revolution of the intellectual entrepreneur to change this system and jail these pseudo-leaders including JDV and install a Council of Intellectual Capitalists.

After the bedlam created by the NBI raiding teams at the height of the rice crisis a few weeks ago, we find no similar news lately. Have they stopped their campaign to rid us of those unscrupulous rice traders? Why? Who ordered them to stop?

Gloria has been very persistent in filing cases against these traders. She has, in fact, even gone to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to personally attend to the prosecution of these traders. However, despite “presidential intervention”, nothing came out of it. Why? What happened?

DOJ insiders say, it allegedly took one or several phone calls from the First Golfer to stop “the madness”. After the raid in a supposed warehouse of controversial lady Vicky Toh and her brother Thomas by an NBI crack team, calls were made and those raids mysteriously disappeared.

As mysterious as these raids was the sudden “reincarnation” of this case against former DOJ Hernani Perez. Gloria’s fair-haired boy and confidante, Perez’s case suddenly sprung to life as if somebody caused it to happen.

And ironies of ironies…Perez is now being counseled by the First Golfer’s chief legal propagandist. Wagging tongues can’t help but notice this blatant irony.

So, who’s the more powerful now? That lady from the putrid river or that gentleman from the big-time operator world? You tell me.

Ah, talking about the DOJ, that septuagenarian remains the big man out there. That Gonzo seems to have a solid backing from the lady and the gentleman. Why? Well, he serves as the hatchet man. And he’s doing quite a feat, what with his glib tongue.

Lastly, why did Ermita agree to be demoted? From being an alter-ego, he’s just now, the voice behind the curtain. Why? I have the highest respect for Ermita. Why stay? Why?

There’s a noticeable increase in crime rate over the past few weeks. This phenomenon validates an earlier PNP intel report which predicts a sharp rise in crime due to the food crisis. However, I do believe that things will turn from bad to worse given that oil prices are starting to get unreasonably high. A higher oil price means higher commodity prices. Higher commodity prices means greater impact on inflation, which affects overall economic growth.

In Indonesia, people are starting to rise up against high fuel and food costs. In some countries in Africa, riots have broken out. In the United States, a rise in property-related incidents have been observed.

Some would say, this is inevitable since the crisis has now reached global proportions. Local market reactions do reflect current global sentiments. However, compared with the handling of our neighbours, we pale considerably especially in food and energy security.

We have the resources and the wherewithal to weather this crisis. We were insulated from the Asian financial crisis during Ramos time. This time though, too much government inaction to fundamental flaws in the system have weakened our state considerably. Too much legislation but too little implementation have exposed us to these dangers. We now face the prospect of an economic breakdown of the entire state economic apparatus. This could lead to a systems loss.

Imagine a situation where people can’t buy enough food because of low wages. I expect a widening gap between the rich and the poor. I expect a situation where more and more members of the middle class going down the social stratum due to high inflation.

More than ever, we need a strong government that promotes national welfare instead of a few aristocratic interests. We need a government that creates rather than destroy enterprises. We need a government with a strong political will that will fight the enemies of the state with the full force of the law.

Sadly, our system right now is a decrepit one. Its nature is that of a patronage system where the rich enjoys more privileges than the rest of Filipinos. Whatever other theorists might say, this system can be described as semi-capitalist with neo-feudalist tendencies. Aristocrats hold too much power, which affects the democratic processes.

There’s a big chance that an implosion might occur in the immediate future. Implosion means internal forces gobbling up the state. This, surely, will result to a system-wide breakdown. If diesel prices reach 50 per liter leading to higher food costs, expect subtle yet dangerous forms of dissent showing up in the crime rate radar.

What are the conditions that constitute a revolutionary situation? Applying chaos theory and studying Philippine history, we find that majority of revolts that occurred in the Philippines were caused by a sudden rise in food costs. Filipinos, a sociological study reveals, may tolerate political infractions or even some form of corruption. When faced with a prospect of hunger, which, we find to be not of our own making, but attributable to government, we revolt. We observe these during the Spanish, American and even in the Japanese occupation periods.

Second, Filipinos revolt when government exercises extreme unwarranted and irrational control over their lives. And third, we find Filipinos taking part in revolts when led by a figure or a group of personalities perceived to have been victims of injustices themselves.

Anyone who can put forward a swift solution to the crisis in food and gasoline affecting this country right now deserves the top post now or in 2010. What Filipinos need right now is their own version of a Lenin. The existing conditions are ripe for an outbreak of dissent. Why?

1. Most of us are angry or desperate because the start of classes is just around the corner.
2. High food prices are causing so much strain and problems even in middle class families.
3. Politicians seems to be the cause of the problem, most of the people believe.
4. Too much politicking is being perceived as causing all these problems.

Gloria is lucky that we don’t have somebody right now who encapsulates a Pinoy Lenin. Otherwise, she’s out.

Eleven innocent people killed in the bloodiest bank robbery in Philippine history. Caught with their pants down, PNP Chief General Avelino Razon Jr. ordered the formation of a police crack team to hunt the perpetuators down. In one fell swoop, the team went to Tanauan Batangas, killing four men believed to be members of the dreaded robbery gang. Good. Swift justice?

Well, the head of the Task Force just told media that they’re not entirely certain if those four killed in Batangas were indeed, members of the gang. Whatta??So, Mr. General sir, you killed four men just to show that you’re men are “on top of the situation”? That all these corpses are just for show? All for photops sir?

Our cops are like those wild cowboys from days past, shooting even the innocents, in blind fashion, just to show how tough they are.

So, Mr General sir, the body count is now 15 innocents killed. Are we expecting more?

It seems that we are. Last night, four men believed to be members of the New People’s Army torched five buses of Victory Liner in Cubao, Quezon City Philippines. Police denied that these men were NPA’s. It took the AFP to really admit that the perpetuators were NPA rebels out to get a fast buck from the Victory Liner owner.

A few days ago, two cops who responded to a robbery were brutally gunned down by criminal elements in Manila. Manila mayor Alfredo Lim and Manila Police District Director Rosales ordered a massive hunt. Rosales said that their mandate is get the cop killers–dead or alive.

Are we expecting corpses again to show up in Pasig river? Quite possibly, yes. Expect a crackdown in Tondo and in some depressed areas in Manila just to show the people that our cops are “on top of the situation.”

In such an economic crisis like these, expect a breakdown of law and order. People nowadays are desperate. Worst, most of the people are seething in silent anger, waiting just for the right time to express their angsts against Arroyo. Is the state ready for a showdown with the people? I am noticing a growing undercurrent of dissent just waiting for the right and proper time to explode.