RedBlueThoughts

ARE WE INSTITUTING DOUBLE STANDARDS IN THE BLOGOSPHERE? I’m addressing this question to the politically-aware and sensitive bloggers of my age. I noticed that we talked a lot about the golf melee, which to me, is just an away bata. But, we dein talk about this more serious issue of the Alabang Druggie Boys. Why? Because we know some or most of them? Why? Because, at this one, Gloria Arroyo and her men did an obviously honorable thing?

DJB, a colleague of mine over at FilipinoVoices.com says that I must reserve my salute to Gloria. Why would I, when I saw how she acted in this case. She did’nt use her powers to give a favor to a friend, Philip Brodett. There are reports that the Brodetts and the Tecsons reportedly called up so many friends in Malacanang, including very very close advisers of Arroyo. In the end, Gloria did the right thing–let them rot in jail! If the courts prove these boys guilty, then, let them hang. They are not teenagers. They are adults. They know what they are doing. And definitely, they know the punishment of such evil and horrendous acts. If the law says they should hang, let Gloria hang them! But if the Courts prove that they’re innocent, then, let them be given their freedom. I’ll even be the first one who will heap praises to them and will damn to hell government for putting them thru all of these ordeal.

The point is–let us in the blogosphere see things objectively. Let’s praise where praise is worthy to be given and let us damn those whose acts are really worthy of damnation.

Again, I commend Gloria for supporting the PDEA in their decision not to release these so-called Alabang Boys, err, Alabang ADULTS. Bulbulin na itong mga ito, yet they are being called “boys”?

Also, I NOTICE THE OBVIOUS PUBLIC RELATIONS STUNT BEING DONE OVER THE BLOGOSPHERE AND EVEN IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA RIGHT NOW, PORTRAYING THESE DRUG PUSHERS OF ALABANG AS ACADEMICALLY BRILLIANT KIDS! HAHAHA! THIS IS THE MOST STUPID AND THE MOST LAUGHABLE THING I HAVE EVER READ IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! WORST, A UP STUDENT ALLEGEDLY WROTE THIS LIE OVER AT FILIPINOVOICES!

WHO WOULD BELIEVE SUCH A LIE? SOME OF MY FRIENDS KNOW THESE ALABANG DRUGLORDS AND THEY ARE FAR FROM BEING ACADEMICALLY EXCELLENT! IN FACT, HOW MANY SANCTIONS DID THEY RECEIVE FROM THEIR SCHOOLS? A LOT!

AND TO MAJOR MARCELINO, I ALREADY FORMED A MAJOR MARCELINO BRIGADE! For those who want to join this brigade, just send me an email confirming your membership thru mangubat.patricio@gmail.com

What is this? There’s an apparent breakdown of the “uneasy” alliance between Danding Cojuangco and the Arroyos? After their celebrated alliance late last year, it seems that the honeymoon phase is finally over?

Reports say that government is trying to revive the mouthballed coco levy case. It seems that government is trying to revive one of eight coco levy cases already dismissed by the Sandiganbayan last November. Is this for real?

Or maybe Malacanang heard of the Lakas effort at creating the NPC desk within the party? Nacionalista Party to follow suit to create a stronger Lakas party enroute to 2010? What will happen to Kampi?

Or, maybe, just maybe, this alleged government effort is just for show?

(I first wrote this over at http://www.filipinovoices.com/

In the widely televised House Committee on Drugs hearing today, three things were established. First, the PDEA led by the courageous Marine Mayor Ferdinand Marcelino conducted the Ayala Alabang buy-bust operation according to plan. They conducted a pre-arrest investigation. They cased the suspects. Eventually, they were able to entrap them thru a buy-bust operation.

Based on the report, Richard Brodett, son of popular golf icon, “Butch” Brodett was the head of the group composed of Joseph Ramirez Tecson and Jorge Jordana, son of Johnny “Midnight” Joseph Jordana. When these drug pushers were interrogated, PDEA found how Brodett got his illegal drugs from abroad. They followed procedures.

Surprisingly though, the prosecutors who handled the case, Senior State Prosecutor Philip Kimpo and the one who penned the resolution, ProsecutorJoseph Resado did not see it that way, and it was affirmed by Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuno who even defended the DOJ position before the media. (Previous to this celebrated case, there were reportedly some cases involving Zuno. One of the reasons reportedly given why Zuno was not chosen for the Associate Justice post is allegations of reported bribery. However, Zuno, I think, is not that gullible.)

By the way, the ponente , Prosecutor Resado, admitted having been a student of the Alabang boy’s lead counsel, Atty. Felisberto Verano Jr. who is now under water for allegedly trying to wiesel his way out of a rejection to release his clients by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales.

Atty. Verano, incidentally, is a fraternity brother of DOJ Undersecretary Ric Blancaflor, whose name was dragged into this case after allegedly calling up Major Marcelino of PDEA for a followup.Their fraternity is the Order of Utopia, a law frat based at the Ateneo de Manila School of Law.

The House committee decided to call Atty. Verano after they found out that Atty. Verano reportedly tried to do a fast one when he allegedly gave an envelope containing a draft release order to the secretary of his frat brother, Undersecretary Ric Blancaflor who, in turn, immediately went to the office of the DOJ secretary Gonzales for him to sign the draft release order.

Second, the bribery attempts did take place, according to Major Marcelino. He was reportedly pressured by JoTec, a relative of one of the suspects and even his own PMA Class 1994 mistah. Marcelino made us all proud when he resisted all attempts at releasing these high-society drug peddlers.

Lastly, it seemed that, based on the hearing, there are certain procedural aspects that both the DOJ and the PDEA should resolve. That’s why the Dangerous Drug Board, headed by former Senator Tito Sotto recommended that a prosecutory unit be created within PDEA that will try all these drug cases.

IN all these, let the wheels of justice grind against these scums of the earth. PR operators are moving right now in the media to mitigate the effects of these revelations, but, their attempts will be put to naught. The truth will come out. These devils who sell these illegal drugs should be put to death, whoever they may be.

And, for the first time, I would like to commend Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for standing her ground on this one. It is highly commendable, even heart-warming, to hear Mrs. Arroyo even calling Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales and ordering him not to release the Brodett-Tecson-Jordana drug trio, pending review of the resolution. For all our differences in opinion before, this one, I salute President Gloria Arroyo.

To Major Marcelino and General Santiago–sirs, the Filipino People salute you. May your tribe increase. May you continue your fine work. For our idealistic brothers in PDEA, sirs, continue to do the good work for and on behalf of the Filipino People. We salute you sirs.

If all the mistahs will work for the betterment of the system and work against those who create evil in this country, we will have a better country and we will not need a Patricio Mangubat anymore.

As most peoples of the world militate against Israeli intrusions on Palestinian territory at Gaza, Filipinos are talking about who did it first—Secretary Pangandaman or Dela Paz. Both camps have been doing the rounds, explaining their side. What’s so uncanny about it is that both these grown up guys tug their daughters and sons along. Both want sympathy. And both are desperate on getting it.

Again, the blog has been used especially by the Dela Paz family in courting public support. But, no one asked why? Why are they going around town scandalizing the nation with a supposed scandalizing incident? If you look closely, there are more serious scandals and abuses of power that members of the official family did in the past. Yet, this is the first time that someone is actually calling our attention about it. Why now? Because, they were victimized by it. If this incident did’nt happen, would the Dela Paz family be this vigilant about this?

Yeah, some blogger say, this is an issue of arrogance. What? My dear Ding, this government, especially this administration has been arrogant since Day One. Why harp on this now? Everyone knows that Arroyo and her gang of thugs are arrogant shitheads. I would understand if, say DAR Secretary Pangandaman’s arrogance was directly related to his being the head of the government agency supposedly handling those agrarian reform cases, but the fact is, this golf incident is NOT it.

Are we that desperate to use this incident just to pin a member or any member of Arroyo’s official family just because of our hatred? Or just because Pangandaman happened to have a Muslim-sounding name and since we hate everything Muslim, we feel aggrieved too since a Christian was supposedly victimized by Muslim aggression? How did it happen, that a mere golf incident would turn into a Muslim-Christian thing or a anti-Gloria issue? That is too parochial. Too trashy. And too tabloid-ly.

This is a sad week for Filipino blogosphere. We, Pinoy bloggers, have stooped very low on this one. That golf incident is just away bata.

It is not a case of arrogance, nor was it a case of somebody using public funds to oppress somebody. Besides, that “somebody” happens to be some of the chosen few who benefitted from the Marcos regime. Sources told me that the Dela Paz Family benefitted reportedly from the Marcos wealth. And they brag about it with other members of Valley Golf and Country Club.

The highest punishment for the Pangandamans would be prison time and perpetual ban from the golf course. Same as the Dela Paz family who showed discourtesy and barbarism in the golf course.

Bloggers just became ordinary. It’s like we’re the more stylish writers of showbiz tabloids. Enuf said.