Having set his sight on the presidency for years, Villar picked people from various persuasions and political beliefs to form his ticket for the May presidential elections, from the extreme left to the extreme right, in pursuit of Amang’s and the Nacionalista Party’s political philosophy.

Villar would make a pact with the Devil himself and give him a slot in his senatorial line-up if that’s what it would take for him to win the presidency. Fortunately, the Devil himself is apparently not interested in politics and would rather just give his blessing to Villar’s coalition.

Like the lady he wants to replace in Malacanang, Villar is pursuing another popular political philosophy to achieve his lifetime goal. The philosophy, more sophisticated but very similar to Amang’s stand, is that of Machiavelli, who said in so many words that “the end justifies the means.”

The last time the Nacionalista Party pursued the political philosophies of Amang and Machiavelli to wrest back control of the government from the Liberals, the country was plunged into its darkest years. Then Senate President Ferdinand Marcos was one of the rising stars of the Liberals when the NP offered to take him as its standard bearer in the 1965 presidential elections.

Marcos handily defeated incumbent President Diosdado Macapagal of the LP in 1965 and LP standard bearer Sen. Sergio Osmena Jr. in 1969 and then declared martial law in 1972, a year before the scheduled elections in 1973, where he was constitutionally barred from running and where the very popular Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. or LP president Sen. Gerry Roxas were heavily favored to give back the presidency to the Liberals.

It was easier then to follow Amang’s politics of addition. There was only the Liberal Party to subtract from. But in the current multi-party set-up, Villar had to take one or two from each political party or grouping to make the numbers add up to the presidency.

And so, the NP has become a coalition of sorts, not any different from the administration merger among the Lakas, Kampi and the Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD). But if the Lakas-Kampi-CMD was a coalition of like-minded or similarly-skinned politicians whose greed and hunger for power never seems to be satisfied, Villar’s coalition is a puzzling blend of leftists, rightists, putschists, nationalists, opportunists, traditional politicians, scions of entrenched political dynasties, an actor and a namesake and scion of the late dictator himself.

Villar’ spokesman, Rep. Gilbert Remmulla, a member of the NP senatorial ticket himself, said his standard bearer’s ability to unite all sectors of the Philippine society shows that Villar is capable of uniting the nation in his fight against poverty.

The problem with this unlikely unity is that the reason these candidates are running under the NP ticket is exactly the same reason Villar has assembled them – to win at all cost.

Party-list Reps. Satur Ocampo and Liza Masa, both nationalists and leftists, are obviously in the line-up as a tactical move to achieve a strategic objective – a popular Mao teaching – to carry their parliamentary struggle to a higher level. They are not comfortable with being in the same line-up as Col. Ariel Querubin, a rightist military rebel, and Gov. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the dictator Ocampo fought and suffered for years, but that would do for now as long as the long-term objective is achieved.

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, an ally of all the sitting presidents in the post-Marcos era, except, of course, former President Fidel V. Ramos, who she hates to death because of her narrow defeat to him in 1992, would be comfortable in any line-up, but Villar’s has the biggest war chest so she’s in, too. Lawyer Adel Tamano used to be former President Joseph Estrada’s spokesman, but nothing was certain with Erap and so he is in Villar’s ticket.

The same is true with Sen. Bong Revilla, an ally of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He is not with Lakas standard bearer Gilbert Teodoro because he knew the latter’s winning chances are very slim.

And Sen. Loren Legarda, NP’s vice presidential candidate? She flirted with all the presidential candidates and could not even say with whom she was running with until the very last minute when she was certain Villar had the best chance of winning among those willing to take her in. If that’s not opportunism, I don’t know what is!

In other words, most of these candidates running with Villar have their own agenda and reason for joining his ticket, leaving it with no unifying principle or platform, just an empty pledge to fight poverty. Arroyo also pledged to fight poverty in all her nine years in Malacanang, but pursued anti-people policies that only aggravated poverty.

The problem with Amang’s – and now Villar’s – politics of addition is that there is no discrimination as to what the chosen candidates have to offer to the common good, but only to what they can offer to the goal of winning the presidency. Villar was willing, much in the spirit of Machiavelli, to sacrifice principles and a common platform for political exigency, not much different from the president he wishes to succeed.

Villar has raised the levels of political opportunism, which does not bode well for a nation grappling for political reforms and crying for change.

(valabelgas@aol.com)

I’ve held in high regard former UP President Jose Abueva, PhD since we were involved in the “Charter-Change Movement” before the appointment to the Supreme Court of Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura, among others.

To make his point that Manuel Villar is the most qualified to be the country’s next President, Abueva dismissed the charges of corruption against Villar in one fell swoop, “For all the unrelenting damnation Manny gets for alleged misuse of his power and office, no judgment of his alleged corruption has been made by any court of justice.”

Abueva contradicts himself, though, by adding: “Manny Villar’s leading rival is banking mainly on the heroism of his parents and his potential for honest leadership. But given the state of the nation and the weaknesses of our democracy, we need much more than the assurance of honest leadership. Our revered President Cory was indubitably honest and religious.”

It’s precisely “honest leadership” above other qualities what the country needs, which unfortunately Villar doesn’t have.

Abueva’s demolished his charter-change proposals by apparent lack of understanding that for the next President to succeed the people must accept him as untainted of graft and corruption before he can effectively address the country’s most debilitating problem: government corruption from which stems most of our nation’s ills.

Charter-changes will be for naught until Philippine society puts down the defense against corruption, “File and prove the charges in court.” Hopefully, the next President’s “honest leadership” would make the Philippines ala-industrialized countries when a government leader faces preponderance of evidence of corruption as Villar does today, they stand down and give up any further aspiration for elective office.

Just as disappointing as Abueva’s blind endorsement of Villar is the support of Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Joker Arroyo, Aquilino Pimentel, Edgardo Angara, Pia and Alan Peter Cayetano, all lawyers. They’re aware Villar might’ve committed many counts of corrupt practices that could reach violation of the Anti-Plunder Law.

I’m not a lawyer. But I know that an eye-witness’ testimony corroborated by another makes the evidence difficult to demolish, more so when three individuals, namely: former President Estrada, Senate President Johnny Ponce Enrile and Sen. Dick Gordon have accused Villar of attempting to bribe them. Their testimony gives credence that Villar’s quid pro quo is P10 million for a senator’s support and, if Villar wins, a Cabinet appointment recommended by each.

I refuse to believe Arroyo and Pimentel, who put their lives on the line opposing the Marcos dictatorship, would set aside professional responsibility and support Villar with that quid pro quo.

There’s no doubt Villar got involved in criminal enterprises long before running for president. He isn’t just potentially but surely will be worse than Marcos and GMA combined. It behooves me to ask Abueva and the above leaders if they’ve set aside their professional responsibility not to be carried away by “false prophets” as the less enlightened whose votes Villar’s trying to court like a snake’s oil salesman.

Regrettably, Villar’s overspending for Madison Avenue-style campaign has become a cover to set aside principles. Villar has a minimum of 40 TV spots daily at a cost of P10 million per day in the past five months for a total cost of P1.5 billion without considering print and radio advertising and cash pay-offs to big-name supporters, media and entertainment personalities even before the official campaign period began.

No matter how Abueva positively thinks of him, Villar sadly lacks a leader’s foresight and is ignorant of economic truisms. Long aspiring for the presidency and aware of the Philippines’ economic problems Villar never realized that a nation’s resource stock is like a pizza.

If a slice was unwisely allotted as he “inserted” in the national budget billions of pesos for C-5 road extension rather than had it privately funded under the BOT (build-operate-transfer) contract, he could’ve established his pro-poor bonafide far ahead of opponents with low-cost housing program to improve the quality of life of the poor with the billions he’s spending now that undoubtedly came from the C-5 extension and his other questionable enterprises.

Consider the lasting impact if he spent a good part of his campaign funds in depressed urban areas constructing medium rise (ala-BLISS) condominium-type residential buildings and raffle the units to the homeless that can repay them in 30- or even 50-year installments with Villar promising more of the same if he wins.

Villar’s secret deal with GMA is plausible. Surely, GMA has dossiers of Villar’s making billions of pesos from the government unified housing program (UHP) that nearly wiped out the country’s retirement fiduciary funds with the GSIS, SSS and Pag-IBIG in the 1990’s according to Tony Hidalgo, former secretary-general of the Housing & Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

There’s obviously conflict of interest that in and itself was a crime when Villar’s companies got the largest annual allocations of mortgage funds for the UHP. For instance, Villar’s companies were accredited as developers by CREBA controlled by him and co-conspirator, Jimmy Cura. They submitted finished housing units mortgaged with Villar-owned Capitol Development Bank and paid off by the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC) at face value without checking if the papers especially land titles were genuine, the borrowers were real people and the houses were really livable.

NHMFC’s only caveat was if the amount of mortgages didn’t exceed a developer’s quota. Villar’s companies and Capitol made billions of pesos from mortgages paid off by NHMFC without credit investigation of homeowners and if Capitol really lent the money for the houses’ construction. GMA surely holds Villar by the balls with records of his making so much money and must have wanted to cover his tracks when he decided to run for the House in 1992 and make more.

Unfortunately, the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis rained on Villar’s parade and Noynoy Aquino’s unexpected candidacy became karma to pierce Villar’s housing bubble to burst.

According to Winnie Monsod, Villar’s real estate empire ran into serious trouble due to overexposure in the real estate business. He’s unable to pay his growing debts for highly leveraged business expansion from late 1990s to early 2000s. When the crisis hit, Capitol was undercapitalized and heavily exposed to similarly undercapitalized Villar’s real estate companies. Capitol ran aground and needed a bail-out.

That’s when Bulacan’s Register of Deeds office in Malolos got burned and with it the original certificate of title issued to the Dumagats’ ancestral lands in Norzagaray, Bulacan. According to Lito Banayo, a reconstituted title was issued for the lands that appeared to be the same covered by the Dumagats’ OCT.

The property was bought by Northwinds Prime Properties Inc. (a Villar company) for over P120 million from Sta. Lucia Realty and Development Corp. then mortgaged to Capitol under the name of ADR Farms for P150 million with Northwinds making a clear P30M profit on July 4, 1996.

The reconstituted title was allegedly used to secure Bangko Sentral’s P1.5 billion emergency advances to Capitol having liquidity crisis. Villar’s debts were running ahead of the completion of houses by his companies and created a serious cash flow gap when NHMFC’s payment for Capitol’s mortgages took longer than before because the funds for the UHP were reined in by HUDCC’s participating agencies.

Securing BSP’s advances with dubious reconstituted title was a violation of its charter. To paper over the crime Capitol eventually sold the property to RCBC Savings Bank presumably to repay the BSP, which was bought back by Palmera Homes Inc. (a Villar company). Charges against Villar abound up to the time he got elected to the House and became speaker, then to the Senate and became its president. Joker Arroyo no less had accused Villar of violating the Constitution.

In 2005, Villar’s debt problems made a turn for the worse. A group of investment banks advised him to consolidate all his corporate assets into one company (Vista Land & Lifescapes). Vista Land’s IPO wasn’t received well because the targeted investors and brokers were the same people burned by Villar’s inability to pay back his debts.

The C-5 road extension project came to Villar’s rescue. Monsod made a very good case of Villar’s culpability in this project which, according to Enrile, a good prosecutor would send Villar to jail. Add to it Frank Drilon’s charges that Villar illegally converted first-class irrigated rice land covered by CARP into the high-end Savannah Subdivision in Pavia, Iloilo, it’s easy to imagine that if we’re in Japan or USA where corruption is also pervasive, Villar will withdraw his candidacy.

An untold story along the way involved Villar and his fellow CREBA members going to court to stop HUDCC’s participating agencies, namely: Department of Finance, Pag-Ibig Fund, SSS, GSIS, and HIGC including the HUDCC reining in their exposures in the UHP, which Villar et al. lost.

If the UHP’s funds weren’t reined in, the Philippines would’ve fallen victim of housing bubble such as that drove U.S. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac down to their knees and lost billions of dollars buying mortgages from small lenders, bundling and selling them as mortgage-backed securities. When homeowners failed to pay their mortgages it caused a ripple effect and the collapse of big Wall Street investment banks requiring trillion-dollar government bailout resulting in the U.S. economic meltdown with 10% unemployment the Obama administration has yet no solution in sight.

For direct comments: fcwenceslao1034@gmail.com

“By wildly lashing out at the three, Villar puts his credibility on the line against that of Gordon. Enrile and Erap.” 
 – Ducky Paredes 

Manny Villar’s problem has always been that the image of himself that he has been projecting has always been too good to be true – a slum kid who swam in a sea of garbage whose parents were so poor that a brother died because they had no money for medicine, gets to be a multi-billionaire and now wants to be President so he can get the poor out of poverty.

Now, with rumors and open accusations of attempted bribery, Villar says his opponents are ganging up on him in a supreme effort to destroy his public image, the better to diminish his chances in the presidential derby.

Villar charged conspiracy after Senator Richard Gordon publicly accused him with this offer: Gordon withdraws as a presidentiable and helps to unseat Enrile as Senate President. In exchange, Gordon gets back all of his campaign expenses and has a reserved cabinet post in the Villar government. Who talked to Gordon for Villar? An emissary but not a senator, according to Gordon..

Was Gordon telling the truth? He dared Villar to join him in taking a lie detector test.

Gordon’s blast came on the heels of a similar accusation aired earlier by former President Joseph Estrada. Erap disclosed that there were feelers from another presidential candidate whom he did not name, to stand down from his presidential campaign. There was also the offer of reimbursement of his expenses.

Then, there was Enrile’s story about Villar himself asking Enrile to desist from continuing the investigation into the accusations against Villar on the C-5. According to Enrile, Villar told him, you help me now and maybe I can do you a favor when you need it.

Are all of the three (and anyone else who might come up with a similar storyline) lying? That is what Villar wants us to believe. They are ganging up on him because he is leading in the run for the presidency. They are all lying, according to Villar.           

This has always been Villar’s line: That anyone who comes up with anything against him is only out to destroy him. All accusations are false and we must believe only Manny Villar.

The accusations of malfeasance in the C-5 road project may have prompted Villar to ditch his wonderful slogan of “Sipag At Tiyaga.” Cruel inventive minds converted this into a malicious “C-5 At Taga.”

In all these developments, there is a similarity and uniformity of the charges hurled against Villar. The common thread is  the offer of substantial financial inducements.

In fact, Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas pointed to a set pattern in the bribery attempts and reflects that “it seems to be a modus operandi.”

Expectedly, Villar denies any wrongdoing on his part and says that all these charges are part of a conspiracy to derail his presidential candidacy. Villar sees an ongoing demolition job on him and expacts that this will be sustained by his political enemies all throughout the campaign period.

Gordon’s tirade, he said, is nothing but “recycled” accusations concocted by his opponents in the Senate. He pointed out that three of his accusers – Erap, Gordon and Senator Jamby Madrigal – are all running for the presidency and would like nothing better than to see him totally discredited before the voting public.

In a recent interview, DZBB’s Mike Enriquez asked Villat if he had really tried to bribe Gordon and Villar gave a circuitous reply. Here is the transcript:

Mike: Wala kayong inaalok?

Villar: Ako nagkakampanya. Ako eto na meron na kaming plano, may plataporma na kami, may programa na kami at wala na kaming iniisip kung may aatras pa, may hindi aatras, hindi na kami nakiki-alam sa iba. ang sa akin lang assumption, lahat sila tatakbo na, at hindi naman ako yung bayad ng bayad ng ganyan. (I am campaigning. I have here my own plan. We have our own platform, our own program, and we don’t think of whether someone is backing out or not. We don’t interfere in the affairs of others.”)

He also said that he is not in the habit of buying off rivals and critics. But one wonders why he did not simply give a direct and categorical “No!” to the question.

Clearly, the critical element in all these is the credibility of the parties involved.

Vjllar’s problem is that his intro to the voter’s consciousness is a fairy tale. Did he actually swim in a sea of garbage? Did his brother die because they were too poor to afford his medication? His father was a government employee. (According to a source, Manuel Montalban Villar, Sr. was with the Bureau of Fisheries.) His mother had a thriving fish business. They had a private jeep and all the nine children never went to the public schools but instead went to parochial and private schools.

And, considering that he continued to do business (with the government and others) even when he was already house speaker and senate president, how different was he from others in government that had private businesses that their helped to grow using their government posts?

These are elements in the Villar image that need proving, now that he has been accused of unsavory behavior. For him to simply accuse Gordon, Enrile and Erap of engaging in a cabal to demonize him would be stretching credulity a little too far. Instead of helping Villar, his wild blanket accusation actually hurts Villar himself.

Remember the Buddhist saying that when you point a finger at someone, three fingers are pointing at yourself.

By wildly lashing out at the three, Villar puts his credibility on the line against that of Gordon. Enrile and Erap. Then, there is also Villar’s propensity to use money to achieve his objectives, as witness the almost indecent flaunting of his enormous wealth as an instrument to enhance his chances for the presidency. That can even be a turn-off because it shows a lack of respect for the voter – that one thinks he can buy the vote.

There are also those in the business community who say that Manny could not have brought his real estate business to such a high level of success without engaging in some kind of underhanded deals in such areas as securing permits, licenses, and approval of plans to convert agricultural lands to subdivisions. Add to that the common belief that people in government use their offices for their own interests.

Villar’s candidacy has taken a wrong turn. Now, he has us all wondering if it is true that where there’s smoke, there’s fire.           

# # # #

hvp 03.09.10)

Readers who missed a column can access www.duckyparedes.com/blogs. This is updated daily. Your reactions are welcome at duckyparedes@yahoo.com

But for a few paragraphs which I deleted here for brevity’s sake, I am reprinting verbatim from a press statement issued by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Thursday, 04 March this year. Every yet undecided voter must get to read Enrile’s statement. My own postscript to this episode follows after.

“I commend Senator Gordon for unmasking the real character of Senator and presidential candidate Manuel B. Villar as a man who thinks he can buy his way to the highest position in the land with his billions of money.

“I understand Senator Gordon has come out to tell the public about the bribe attempt made by Senator Villar through an “emissary” and a “mutual friend.” I confirm that such attempt actually happened and I have no doubt about its veracity because Sen. Gordon told me about it immediately.

“My recollection is that when I filed the report of the Committee of the Whole on the Ethics complaint involving the C5 controversy, having been signed by 11 Senators with myself as the author acting as Chairman, my Chief of Staff relayed to me by phone that another Senator, who Villar was supporting to replace me as Senate President, had approached Sen. Gordon to join the plot to oust me and install a new leadership in the Senate.

“The approach, which came with an offer for a position of Sen. Gordon’s choice under a “Villar Administration” was turned down outright by Sen. Gordon saying “I cannot, in conscience, do such a thing, especially not to Senator Enrile who I regard as a father.”

“On that same day, upon seeing Sen. Gordon arrive at the Senate session, I embraced him and whispered “Thank you, Dick. I know what happened.” At that time, he seemed surprised at my gesture and just hugged me back.

“Several days after, when we were about to take up the report on the floor, I got another report that Sen. Gordon was offered, on top of the first offer for a position if Sen. Villar makes it to the presidency, was likewise offered a huge amount of money to withdraw his signature from my report. I was appalled by this report and felt it was my duty to tell Sen. Gordon that such news was circulating. I called Sen. Gordon and informed him that I will never believe that he will succumb to such a brazen act of bribery.

“Sen. Gordon privately confirmed to me that such offer was indeed made and that he felt furious and insulted by the temerity and gall of Villar to think that he can be intimidated by money, much less lured by an offer for a position of power. He immediately said NO to this offer.

“Later, I learned that it went even beyond that; that Sen. Villar offered “reimbursement for what Sen. Gordon had so far spent for his presidential bid with an added premium just to convince him to withdraw from the presidential race.

“I have known Sen. Gordon from his younger days, and one thing I can say is that this man cannot be bought. Sen. Villar is dead wrong about Sen. Gordon. You do not put a price tag on everyone, especially not Dick Gordon.

“Actually, I knew about the plan to oust me since last December. On the last day of our sessions before the Christmas break, Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano, on orders of his master, Sen. Villar, in no uncertain terms, delivered the threat to my Chief of Staff that if I make a move to gather enough votes in support of my Committee Report, Sen. Villar wants me to know that he will have no other choice but to take the Senate Presidency either for himself or for another Senator of his choice.

“As things developed and the co-perpetrators of the coup plot against me began to show their real colors, I surmised that the “emissary” to Sen. Gordon and Sen. Villar’s nominee could be no other than Senator Edgardo J. Angara…

“This attempt of Villar is similar to the offer made by another “emissary” to former President Estrada, our standard bearer in the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino- “reimbursement in exchange for withdrawal.” President Estrada rightly turned down this indecent proposal. President Estrada’s candidacy is NOT FOR SALE.

“I had earlier revealed that Sen. Villar himself tried to bribe me into not proceeding with the investigation by the Committee of the Whole, offering me “help” for whatever it was I needed. As I said, I replied to him that I can only advice him to participate in the hearings and introduce evidence to counter the charges and evidence against him, and that I am giving him that advice for free, without any consideration. I wish to reiterate to Sen. Villar: I AM NOT FOR SALE.

“If you tie all these things up with Sen. Villar’s unprecedented campaign spending for advertisements, cash give-aways to local officials and supporters, his media budget and sum it all up, then you have a complete picture of the man who is now presenting himself as the “best” alternative for the presidency.

“Sen. Villar is a pretender posturing as a pleasant and decent person and using his poverty during his childhood days to project himself as pro-poor. It is as if having been once poor was equivalent to really having the heart for the poor.

“Villar has to answer what he has done for the poor since he became a multi-billionaire and in his long career as a politician apart from his expensive “give-aways” , helping OFW’s, giving livelihood, building homes for the poor by shelling out money ALL FOR PROPAGANDA.

“Sen. Villar must be asked what he did for the poor that he did not make sure was covered by media so he can use it for his campaign propaganda. He should be asked what social cause he has really championed as a legislator, not an ordinary one, by the way, for he served as no less than Speaker of the House and Senate President.

“He should he asked how he victimized the poor and the taxpayers of this country with his financial schemes in the housing business, and about the collapse of his own bank, Capitol Bank, mysteriously leaving him richer, not poorer.

“Amongst all who are now running for President, Villar stands out, indeed, as the RICHEST and one who thinks that everyone can be bought: the people through his misleading advertisements, some media people who are obviously in his “payola”, political leaders who are vulnerable to his offer to partake of his financial largesse, and all his attempts to bribe even his colleagues and fellow aspirants to the Presidency.

“Sen. Villar may have succeeded to a large extent in deploying the huge fortune he acquired, perhaps some by honest means, but definitely, a large part, by the immoral use of his political position, power and clout to advance his own business interests as borne out by the evidence in Senate Ethics case and, much earlier, by the shenanigans exposed on the Floor of the Lower House by Sen. Joker Arroyo.

“But on May 10, he must be taught a hard and painful lesson by no less than the electorate. He must be unmasked and rejected as a fake leader in order for the nation to redeem itself. We must clearly send the strongest message to Senator Manuel “Manny” B. Villar, as Senator Richard J. Gordon has said, that THE PRESIDENCY OF THIS NATION, THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, AND THE PHILIPPINES ARE NOT FOR SALE.”

* * *

Postscript: On Tuesday, 02 March, I was informed that Sen. Dick Gordon mentioned the attempted offer to get him out of the race in a morning radio talk show. On Wednesday, in the talk show of a rival station, Gordon repeated the story, and then some, about the financial dealings of Villar with NHMFC, and its capital infusions coming from state-managed workers’ pension funds.

I asked a confidante who happens to be a close friend of a consultant and long-time supporter of Gordon to call his friend. At the time, I had not heard that Senate President Enrile had “surmised” that Sen. Ed Angara was Villar’s emissary. I told my confidante to ask our friend from Gordon’s inner circle to make a multiple choice, and I mentioned two men who had been in Erap Estrada’s cabinet, and one who was once part of GMA’s cabinet. I know the three to be pretty active in the campaign to get Villar elected president of the benighted.

The Gordon close-in, presented with a multiple choice, blurted out the nickname of one in that multiple choice. And while Sen. Angara did serve in Erap’s cabinet, no, his was not the name blurted out. He was not part of the multiple choice to begin with.

Later in the day, text messages appeared pointing to another former cabinet member, someone who served the Marcos government. Oh, what a mix-up. But I still believe that the emissary whose name Gordon’s friend blurted out, fits the role of busted negotiator to a “T”. In any case, maybe Dick Gordon should speak out and identify the negotiator, to put the matter to rest.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100310-257739/When-a-tie-is-not-really-a-tie

MANILA, Philippines—“When our report comes out, you will see that we just say it’s a 2-point lead and we’re not calling it a tie. Now the reason I say that is because if it could be a zero lead, it could also be a 4-point lead. It could really range to as high as four. But we’re not saying that. It seems to me that the neutral thing to do is to call it as two, because that’s where it is centered. And if you go to emphasize the tie, you’re really leaning on one side,” Mahar Mangahas, president of Social Weather Stations, says in an interview on ANC.

‘In the midst of the water and energy crises and the ballooning budget deficit, Ms. Arroyo decides to go circling the globe again.’

WE are facing a water crisis of potentially cataclysmic proportions unless Mother Nature chooses to be kind and decides to give us much needed rain before the onset of the wet season.

Partly as a consequence of the water shortage, we are also facing an energy crisis that has already resulted in blackouts in various regions in the country.

What is worse is that the energy shortage could lead to a failure of the May elections, or may be used by sinister forces to cause that failure.

And so, what does our self-styled Ina ng Bayan, Ms. Gloria Arroyo, do in the midst of these crises? She decides to go circling the globe again for absolutely unnecessary reasons, bar one.

As announced to the press, she is first going to Washington next month to attend the Nuclear Security Summit proposed by US President Barack Hussein Obama.

The summit is intended “to discuss steps we can collectively take to secure vulnerable nuclear materials and prevent acts of nuclear terrorism,” said Obama’s spokesman.

We do not possess “vulnerable nuclear materials.” There are thus no “acts of nuclear terrorism” that we can prevent.

Clearly, therefore, there is nothing that Arroyo can contribute to, or gain for the Filipino people from, the meeting that would be worth the tens of millions of pesos that she and her hangers-on (there will be more this time, huling hirit, ika nga), will squander on the trip. Thousands of the victims of Ondoy and Pepeng are still homeless, not to mention thousands more displaced by the MILF rebel group’s rampage in Mindanao last year. And let us not forget the ballooning budget deficit.

After Washington, she is supposed to attend the annual Summit Meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) in Hanoi. That one may be considered necessary. She can also take the opportunity to say goodbye to the Asean heads of state/government.

And then, surprise, surprise, she is planning to proceed to Spain after Hanoi.

What the heck could be so important in Spain that she has to go there again and spend tens of millions more of poor Juan de la Cruz’ money?

Could it possibly have something to do with an hacienda in the Basque region, or is it Andalucia? Just asking.

Here, I am reminded of the alleged desire of her future ex-Foreign Secretary, Alberto Romulo, to be named ambassador to Spain under an Aquino presidency as a reward for his expressing support for Noynoy’s candidacy.

                                                                ***

Forbes magazine once listed presidential candidate Manny Villar as the ninth richest man in the Philippines with a fortune of $530 million.
On the other hand, his 2009 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) shows a net worth of P1.046 billion, the highest among the incumbent senators.

Leaving aside the evident disparity between the Forbes figure and the one in his SALN, the question now being asked is: Since he has so far allegedly spent P1.3 billion in political ads, shouldn’t he be bankrupt by now? After all, hasn’t he been claiming all along that he has been spending his own money?

I think that’s a fair question that reasonably deserves a reply.

                                                                ***

If the US Government is serious about curbing the drug menace that now confronts many countries, including the Philippines, it should accept the challenge to name the candidates in the coming elections receiving money from drug traffickers.

The names needn’t be made public. But certainly they should be made known to the Philippine authorities concerned. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency head Dionisio Santiago claims to have no knowledge of drug lords giving money to candidates.

                                                                ***

The Japanese Embassy in Manila has a program (or is it a project?) called Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development or J-BIRD.

Bangsamoro? Doesn’t that strike you as a separate entity of sorts that exists in Mindanao? The term literally means a homeland for our Moro brethren. Their homeland is in Mindanao.

Mindanao is an integral part of the Philippine national territory. It is homeland to all Filipinos living there, regardless of ethnic background, religion or political persuasion.

So why is a foreign government with whom we have diplomatic relations using the term as though it is dealing with a separate entity?

No wonder Japan supported the aborted establishment of a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity.

If Japan’s sole purpose is to help our Muslim community’s development, it should do so through the government, not through a project that gives the impression it is dealing with a separate political entity in Mindanao.

The next administration should look into this apparent absurdity.

                                                                ***

The Supreme Court has affirmed its previous ruling that the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States as constitutional on the ground that the US “recognized” it as a treaty.

Section 25, Article XVIII of the 1987 Constitution provides that “foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.”

As a non-lawyer, I’d like to know if being “recognized” as a treaty is the same as being “ratified” as one or, as the above-cited provision says, “concurred in” by the Senate.

It would seem to me that the intent and spirit of the said constitutional provision is that the other party should also “concur in”, meaning ratify, the VFA as a treaty. The US Senate, like in the Philippines, ratifies treaties.

The Supreme Court itself gave validity to this assertion when “it noted that the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty of August 30, 1951 was signed and duly ratified with the concurrence of both Congresses of the two countries.”

Ergo, for the VFA to be considered as a treaty, it should have been concurred in by the Congresses of the two countries, which it was not. The US Senate never ratified it.

Perhaps the next Congress should require the ratification of the VFA by the people in a national referendum to determine once and for all its constitutionality.

                                                                ***

Has Gilberto Teodoro finally realized it would be best for his candidacy to start dissociating himself from Arroyo?

This question was prompted by Teodoro’s stand, as reported in the press, against giving Arroyo emergency powers to deal with the energy crisis in Mindanao. Malacañang wants the emergency powers.

Another is his stated position that Arroyo should not appoint the next Chief Justice. His reasons: the Supreme Court can function with just 13 members; if there is no vacancy, there should be no appointment; the last thing the country needed was another divisive issue so it was better to be prudent; and an appointment under such circumstances would also not be good for the appointee who will always have a cloud of doubt and controversy hanging over him.

How true.

Ms. Arroyo, please take note. It is now your presumed anointed who is speaking against your desire to appoint the next Chief Justice.

***

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) revealed that 9 out of 10 who took the Professional and sub-Professional levels examinations in the recent past flunked.

That revelation came as a surprise to many, including me.

But it also came to me as a reason to be prouder of my students in the College of International Relations, Lyceum of the Philippines University. Eleven of the fifteen who took the most recent (November 2009) Professional-level examination given by the CSC, passed. Those from the College who took the tests in 2008 also had about the same passing percentage.

Congratulations, guys! You have every reason to be proud of yourselves!

                                                                 ***

There are 113 days left before the end on 30 June 2010 of the stolen presidency of Ms. Arroyo, courtesy of “Garci”, et al.

                                                                 ***

Today is the 308th day of the third year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

                                                                 ***

Email: roacrosshairs@yahoo.com

Now and then I’d read an opinion column that would stop me dead in my tracks and say: “Wow!  That was good.  It’s a beaut. I like it.”  And this one has a beautiful ending, too, that jolted me out of my seat.  First with a chuckle, then with a roaring, hearty laughter. 

After my laughter subsided and I became more rational, I thought this story BEGS for a different ending, a much better ending that would give OTHERS a hearty laugh and a good feeling, too.  

But first, Dear Readers, here’s the story.  Short and sweet and easy to read.  It was written by Manuel Buencamino, a political columnist for the Business Mirror, a publication in the Philippines.  His column is called, “Life in Gloria’s Enchanted Kingdom.”  And he has titled this story, “To Die Like Christ.”  

If you have already read it, read it again and enjoy.  Because it’s really a classic. 

An old priest who lay dying in his hospital bed motioned to his nurse to come near. 

“Yes, Father?” asked the nurse.

 “I would like to see Manny Villar and Gloria Arroyo before I die,” whispered the priest. 

“I’ll see what I can do, Father,” she replied. 

Villar phoned Arroyo after he heard from the nurse. 

“Did you get the priest’s request?” he asked her. 

“Yes,” she replied. 

“I don’t know why he wants to see us but my advisers told me I should go, it will be good for my image daw,” he said. 

“My people told me the same thing,” she said. 

“Then let’s get together,” he proposed. 

“That’s a good idea,” she said.  “We can milk the visit.” 

The priest’s hospital room was packed with reporters and TV crews when they arrived. 

The priest beamed when he saw Manny and Gloria.  He motioned her to stand by the right side of his bed and Villar on the left.  A look of serenity settled on the priest’s face after they took their places. 

The cameras were rolling.  Everybody was waiting for the priest to say something for the evening news’ sound bite.  But he said nothing.  All he gave them was a beatific smile. 

Villar finally spoke up, “Father, of all the people you could have chosen, why did you choose us to share your last moments with you?” 

The dying priest replied, “I have always tried to live my life as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did.  Now I want to die like He did.” 

Villar bowed his head.  Arroyo wiped a tear from her eye. 

The priest continued, “Thanks to you both my wish will come true. 

“How so?” chimed Villar and Gloria. 

“Christ died between two lying thieves.” 

Hahahahaha!  Don’t mean to be a sacrilegious jerk, folks, but I really think that was sooooooo funny. 

Okey ngarud, as we all know, that’s how the tutas and the supporters of Abnoy, sorry, I mean, Noynoy, would like that story to end, right?  There’s another ending to that story, which I think, is more apt and believable. 

So, there were two “lying thieves” that were also crucified on their crosses and died with Jesus on that mount, “called the Skull.”  One on Jesus’ left and the other on his right.  I believe their names were Dimas and Gestas.  I am not really sure who was on the right side of Jesus and who was on His left. 

But of this, I am sure, for I’ve quoted the following passages from the “Gospel According to Luke” in the Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible: 

Now one the criminals hanging reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah?  Save yourself and us.”  The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation?  And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but THIS MAN has done nothing criminal.” 

“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” 

Those words are beautiful, too … and TRUE.  It’s the Word of the Lord and I believe in His Words. 

Now … fast forward to today’s Philippine politics and to this raging war of words and intense race for the skull of the Philippine presidency.  And I think the question is: Who would be that “criminal” who jeered at Jesus and who would be that one who sought forgiveness and asked to be remembered when Jesus “come to His Kingdom?” 

Two lying thieves.  One on the left and one on the right.  Who would be Gloria and who would be Manny.  I dunno if Gloria reviles Jesus or not.  I am not a judge of that.  And I dunno either if Villar’s the one who repented his criminal ways.  I dunno a lot of things. 

But I do know that Manny Villar’s supporters would like to believe that it would be Villar who sought forgiveness for his sins and who had asked Jesus to remember him in His Kingdom … and for doing that, therefore, “entered the kingdom” and won the presidency of the country of Wawa We. 

And, that would be the true beautiful ending to that story that Manuel Buencamino wrote, a story that BEGS for a different ending.  

Yes, for reasons of my own, I am for Manny Villar.  So I say: Go, Manny!  Go for the gold.  From rags to riches, from the PALENGKE TO THE PRESIDENCY would be a great Filipino story.  A story, with a much more beautiful and apt ending than Mr. Buencamino’s fanciful story of a dying priest, with a fanciful wish to die like Christ.  JJ

After the January Pulse Asia poll showed Aquino and Villar with 37% and 35%, respectively, which is considered a statistical tie — the Villar rah rah boys went to town heralding that Villar has attained the winning momentum, that Aquino is losing steam and that the road to Malacañang Palace is clear for them. Then, the February Pulse Asia poll was released and that must have struck like an assassin’s bullet through the temple of the head.

Instead of reinforcing their claimed winning momentum, the latest Pulse Asia poll confirmed what your Chair Wrecker has mentioned in recent columns that Manny Villar displays the volatility of a weak brand in the marketing context. In July 2009, Villar registered a 33% rating only to fall to the middle 20% ratings after the entry of Aquino in the presidential race. Now, he has done it again. From 35% in the January Pulse Asia survey — his highest rating ever — Villar dropped to 29% in February.

To compound Villar’s woes, the rating of Joseph Estrada — seen as Villar’s main competitor for the class E votes because of their positioning — rose by 6%. This rise is perceived by many as accomplished at the expense of Villar. If ever Villar is propositioning Estrada to withdraw from the presidential race, the latest Pulse Asia poll will serve to reinforce Estrada’s resolve to pursue his quest for a chance to redeem his shameful 1998 presidency.

Aquino lost 1% from the January Pulse Asia poll, from 37% to 36%, but that is negligible per Pulse Asia president Dr. Ronnie Holmes due to the 2% margin of error. Aquino is comfortably ahead of his nearest competitor by 7%. Based on a 40 million projected voter turnout, that 7% is around 2.8 million votes.

Judging from the way he reacted, Villar defender and spokesman Gilbert Remulla must have been unsettled by the latest Pulse Asia poll results. Remulla sought to diffuse the impact of the Villar rating drop by saying that compared to the January 28 – February 3 TNS (Taylor Nelson Sofres) survey (Aquino 41%, Villar 30%), Aquino dropped by 6% while Villar only dropped by 1%.

Remulla said this despite his previous reaction when the TNS survey was announced last month that he does not know the methodology of the TNS survey and would rather wait for the SWS (Social Weather Stations) and Pulse Asia results. The truth is you cannot compare the results of two different surveys done by two different polling firms with possible different methodologies, samples and perhaps even questions. You can compare the February Pulse Asia results with the January Pulse Asia results but not with the TNS results.

It is believed that the drop in Villar’s ratings was caused by the many issues hounding him — from corruption, land grabbing and bribery to obscene election spending which violates the spirit of the Fair Elections Act for a level playing field. This 6% drop could be only the beginning of a bigger drop as more Villar issues continue to emerge.

To add to these issues that have been hounding Villar when the Pulse Asia February 21-25 poll was made, he was cited last February 27 by Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento for possible vote buying. Villar’s group was caught on video giving money to kids and awarding scholarships during their February 25 free concert at the Mall of Asia. This is ground for disqualification.

Last week, Villar was accused by Senator Dick Gordon of having attempted to bribe him through an intermediary last January for a favorable vote in the Villar Senate Ethics Case. Gordon’s vote would have ousted Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and effectively quashed the Villar Ethics Case.

Enrile also exposed Villar last January for an attempted bribe to ease up on the Ethics Case investigation. Reacting to Gordon’s bribery expose against Villar, Enrile remarked: “I commend Senator Gordon for unmasking the real character of Senator and presidential candidate Manuel B. Villar as a man who thinks he can buy his way to the highest position in the land with his billions of money.”

In his press statement, Enrile said: “On that same day, upon seeing Sen. Gordon arrive at the Senate session, I embraced him and whispered “Thank you, Dick. I know what happened.” At that time, he seemed surprised at my gesture and just hugged me back.”

Enrile added: “Sen. Gordon privately confirmed to me that such offer was indeed made and that he felt furious and insulted by the temerity and gall of Villar to think that he can be intimidated by money, much less lured by an offer for a position of power. He immediately said NO to this offer.”

The Gordon bribery issue becomes a credibility battle. Who will you believe — Dick Gordon or Manny Villar? You should then ask yourself — between Gordon and Villar, who has a trail of corruption issues hounding him?

                                                                 *      *      *

Chair Wrecker email and website: macesposo@yahoo.com and www.chairwrecker.com

Mariano “Mike” Velarde, also known as Bro. Mike, tends to be perceived by your Chair Wrecker as being more of a businessman and a politician — who has in fact mulled running for president — rather than as a religious minister.

For perspective, your Chair Wrecker deeply admires the Christianity of Gawad Kalinga’s Tony Meloto and the late Focolare Movement founder, Chiara Lubich. They both epitomize the great commandment of Jesus Christ that “Whatsoever you do to the least of your brethren, you do unto me.”

Contrasting with the Christianity of Tony Meloto and Chiara Lubich, Velarde strikes your Chair Wrecker as being focused more on the brethren with the most rather than those with the least. There have been many who have expressed their views that Velarde appears to be using the least to gain leverage with the most.

Two of the 900 documents in the Senator Manny Villar Senate Ethics Case would show how Mike Velarde has capitalized on his El Shaddai flock. True reproductions of the Villar Ethics Case file, these two documents also show the business ties that bind Mike Velarde and Manny Villar.

The first document that follows is the April 27, 1998 letter of Mike Velarde to the government of former President Fidel V. Ramos (FVR) regarding the C-5 Road Alignment which Velarde wrote not only for his business interest but also for and on behalf of the business interests of Henry Sy of Shoemart fame and then Representative Manny Villar.

Exhibit X

April 27, 1998

MR. RAMON DUMAUAL
Officer in Charge
Toll Regulatory Board
19th Floor Strata 100 Bldg.,
Emerald Ave., Pasig

Dear Mr. Dumaual;

We are submitting herewith the final C-5 Road alignment, together with the area computation in accordance with our previous understanding for your immediate approval and implementation.

The group of 3 owners will hire Proconsult the  engineering design firm of the original TRB proposed plan, to design the minor revisions. This will ensure the fast approval of our requested change.

Thank you very much.

Very truly yours,

AMVEL LAND DEV. CORP
Signed By: MARIANO Z. VELARDE, President

SM HOLDINGS PROPERTIES
Signed By: ENGR. FILEMON AVELINO

ADELFA PROPERTY INC.
Signed By: ANASTACIO C. ADRIANO, JR., Senior Vice President/General Manager

The second document that follows is the April 27, 1998 (note the same date) memo of Benjamin de Leon, Presidential Assistant for Social Development and Foreign Affairs, to FVR about the Velarde-Sy-Villar transaction with the government. Note how de Leon specifically mentions the name of Rep. Manny Villar in the memo to FVR.

ANNEX 11 Exhibit XMEMORANDUM FOR H.E. THE PRESIDENT

FROM: The Appointments Secretary/Presidential Assistant for Social Development and Foreign Affairs

SUBJECT: REQUEST OF BRO. MIKE VELARDE RE: DPWH ROAD RIGHT OF WAY PAYMENT/SETTLEMENT ON C-5 (PEA-RENONE BERHAD)

DATE: 27 April 1998

1. May I respectfully convey to His Excellency the request of Bro. Mike Velarde concerning the settlement of issues on the acquisition of Road Right Of Way by DPWH relative to the construction of C-5 Road (Renone-Berhad Package).

2. Based on the recommendations submitted by Bro. Mike Velarde, the following courses of action may be adopted:

2.1 For the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) under DPWH Secretary Vigilar to approve the plan jointly submitted by AMVEL Corp. of Bro. Mike, ShoeMart, Inc. under Henry Sy and Adelfa, Inc. of Rep. Manny Villar.

2.2 For TRB to appraise the property affected the C-5 Access Roads, toll plaza and the main highway based on the prevailing market price in the vicinity of Sucat Road, Paranaque.

2.3 For TRB to issue an order of payment in order of PEA and DPWH to effect the payment to the affected landowners.

2.4 For PEA to purchase the area between Eastern Access and Spoke of the Toll Plaza covering 22,280 square meters for use by the DPWH in exchange for the DPWH lot along the Coastal Road which was taken-over by PEA.

3. For His Excellency’s consideration.

Signed BENJAMIN D. DE LEON|

ANNEX 11-A

The following was the personal handwritten note of FVR at the bottom of the Benjamin de Leon memo:

28 April 1998

To Sec. DPWH & Ch. PEA info ES

Fast-track the remaining issues NLT 30 April 98 re the C5-Coastal Road project in order to alleviate heavy traffic congestion in the area.

Signed: FVR

Don’t you think that this Velarde letter with a big business tycoon and a congressman tied up with it constitutes pressure on the former president to favor their request? Don’t you think that was an inappropriate act for one who claims to be a religious leader? Don’t you think that Villar’s involvement here is a case of conflict of interest regardless if he personally signed the letter to the government or not?

Thus, it came as no surprise to your Chair Wrecker when the Villar camp announced recently that they have already received the endorsement of Mike Velarde. Mike Velarde was evasive about the Villar endorsement but then he too was evasive about his support for Joseph Estrada and Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. If Pope Pius XII had been asked to endorse Adolf Hitler and agreed to do so, it is but natural if he too would be evasive about confirming it.

A very rich man in the US once said that better a friendship founded on business than a business founded on friendship. That of course follows the precept of some businessmen that you’re wise to leave your heart at home when you run your company.

Mike Velarde continues to be viewed by some as a religious leader instead of being a businessman and a politician. He should come clean and clarify if he is really endorsing Manny Villar and if that endorsement is spiritually motivated or an endorsement founded on business and politics.

Chair Wrecker e-mail and website: macesposo@yahoo.com and www.chairwrecker.com