pinoywatchdogupdates-blog

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com JoelBanderLaw 2013 Polls: What’s At Stake?

LAST FEBRUARY 12, the Senate race began between President Benigno “PNoy” Aquino III’s handpicked candidates and the opposition Three Kings’ handpicked candidates. PNoy’s Liberal Party-led coalition of candidates from five different political parties were proclaimed at Plaza Miranda in Manila while the Three Kings’ United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) candidates were proclaimed in Cebu City. Each slate has 12 candidates. At stake are 12 Senate seats. And by the looks of it, it’s just like any other mid-term senatorial election. There is nothing unusual about it, right? Wrong!

Although, the senatorial lineups seem to appear “normal” by Philippine election standards, there is something – or should I say, several things – odd or strange about some of the candidates. And underneath the seemingly placid political waters, there is a great deal of crosscurrents going on that could pull a candidate down.

Team PNoy But first, let’s look at the leaders of the two opposing slates. PNoy is using his popularity to sway the voters to support his “Team PNoy,” hoping that branding them under his own moniker would attract a lot of votes. And as the team’s campaign manager, Sen. Franklin Drilon,mhammered it in at the Plaza Miranda rally, “It’s time to show support to President Noy!” Yep, a vote for Team PNoy is a vote for PNoy.

PNoy told the cheering crowd about his administration’s accomplishments. He said that he needs the Team PNoy candidates to win so he could continue his reforms. Then he criticized the opposition candidates whom he claimed are running only to promote their personal interests and that of the previous administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, reminding them of the anomalies during her presidency.

It is interesting to note how PNoy associated the UNA candidates with Gloria. Other than Mitos Magsaysay and Migz Zubiri, who were once members of  Gloria’s political party, Lakas-CMD, the other 10 candidates have no political association with Gloria.

PNoy is treading on dangerous waters when he tries to link the UNA to Gloria, who has yet to be convicted of any crime. As a matter of fact, for lack of evidence the courts threw out most of the corruption and plunder cases filed against her. But PNoy said that more cases would be filed against her. All of these could boomerang against PNoy and hurt the Team PNoy candidates at the polls in the May election. “Three Kings”

On the other hand, the Three Kings — Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile — are carrying a lot of excess baggage. Binay, who made his presidential aspirations known long time ago, has to explain a lot of things that happened when he was mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and 2001 to 2010 — a total of 19 years!

An article, “The Lord of Makati,” was published on March 28, 2001, when he was running for another term as Makati mayor. The article says, “Can Binay explain his wealth? In less than a decade, Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay, former chair of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and former mayor of Makati, accumulated at least P80 million worth of real estate properties in Makati and Batangas, which he kept undeclared…” To date, Binay has yet to explain his wealth.

Erap carries the stigma of having been convicted of plunder while Enrile was haunted by his long association with the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. He was one of the “Rolex 12” who assisted Marcos in planning the martial law in 1972.

Although Erap and Enrile aren’t running for national office, they have an agenda in this year’s election. Erap’s son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is positioned to become Binay’s vice presidential running mate in 2016.

Enrile, who will be termed out in 2016 would like to see his son, Juan Ponce “Jack” Enrile Jr., elected senator this year. But Jack is getting a lot of flak because of several incidents in his past that involved people getting killed. Although he came out clean in those cases, there are a lot of people who are not totally convinced of his innocence.

Dynasticracy

But what is most noticeable in this year’s election is the presence of dynastic candidates. There are five dynastic candidates in Team PNoy, namely: Alan Peter Cayetano (brother of incumbent Sen. Pia Cayetano); Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV (nephew of PNoy); Cynthia Villar (wife of termed out Sen. Manny Villar); Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara (son of termed out Sen. Edgardo Angara); and Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay Jr.

In the opposition UNA, there are five dynastic candidates: Jack Enrile; Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito (son of Erap and half-brother of Jinggoy); Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco (aunt-in-law of President Aquino); Nancy Binay-Angeles (daughter of Binay); and Milagros “Mitos” Habana-Magsaysay.

In my article, “Should the Philippine Senate be abolished?” (February 6, 2013), I wrote: “If all 10 dynastic candidates win in the May elections and you add the three incumbent dynastic senators (JuanPonce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Pia Cayetano), there would be a total of 13 dynastic senators in the new Senate. That’s more than 50% of the entire Upper House of the new Congress! That’s not ‘representative’ of the people. That makes the eight family dynasties collectively in control of the majority of the Senate. That’s called dynasticracy.”

Roxas-Binay rivalry

So what’s at stake in the 2013 election?

Recently, Drilon alleged that the UNA is out to make PNoy a “lame duck” president. Binay denied the allegation, saying, “UNA remains supportive of Aquino’s ‘Daang Matuwid’ and reform agenda but would not hesitate to expose to the public any wrongdoing it will see.” However, he said, “We are the new opposition, an opposition who will be supportive of matters which the President is undertaking.” He claimed that some quarters are just trying to create a “wedge” between them. Really?

Last January 31, Drilon announced that the Liberal Party is going to field Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas as its standard bearer in 2016. With Binay running for president, would the entry of Roxas in the presidential derby bring out the old rivalry between the Samar (Noy-Bi) and Balay (Noy-Mar) factions?

It would be interesting to know how PNoy would deal with a Roxas-Binay presidential contest? Would he remain loyal to the Liberal Party and support Roxas or would he support Binay, a long-time family friend whom the Noy-Bi people say would take a bullet for PNoy?

In addition to Roxas and Binay, two other dynasts are expected to run for president in 2016 – Senators Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., the new chairman of the Lakas-CMD Party.

The 2016 presidential election might turn out to be a battle royale among the country’s powerful dynasties. Makes one wonder what did we gain in 30 years after the EDSA People Power revolution? It looks like we’re going back to square one.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com Joel Bander Law 2013 Polls: What’s At Stake?

LAST FEBRUARY 12, the Senate race began between President Benigno “PNoy” Aquino III’s handpicked candidates and the opposition Three Kings’ handpicked candidates. PNoy’s Liberal Party-led coalition of candidates from five different political parties were proclaimed at Plaza Miranda in Manila while the Three Kings’ United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) candidates were proclaimed in Cebu City. Each slate has 12 candidates. At stake are 12 Senate seats. And by the looks of it, it’s just like any other mid-term senatorial election. There is nothing unusual about it, right? Wrong!

Although, the senatorial lineups seem to appear “normal” by Philippine election standards, there is something – or should I say, several things – odd or strange about some of the candidates. And underneath the seemingly placid political waters, there is a great deal of crosscurrents going on that could pull a candidate down.

Team PNoy But first, let’s look at the leaders of the two opposing slates. PNoy is using his popularity to sway the voters to support his “Team PNoy,” hoping that branding them under his own moniker would attract a lot of votes. And as the team’s campaign manager, Sen. Franklin Drilon,mhammered it in at the Plaza Miranda rally, “It’s time to show support to President Noy!” Yep, a vote for Team PNoy is a vote for PNoy.

PNoy told the cheering crowd about his administration’s accomplishments. He said that he needs the Team PNoy candidates to win so he could continue his reforms. Then he criticized the opposition candidates whom he claimed are running only to promote their personal interests and that of the previous administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, reminding them of the anomalies during her presidency.

It is interesting to note how PNoy associated the UNA candidates with Gloria. Other than Mitos Magsaysay and Migz Zubiri, who were once members of  Gloria’s political party, Lakas-CMD, the other 10 candidates have no political association with Gloria.

PNoy is treading on dangerous waters when he tries to link the UNA to Gloria, who has yet to be convicted of any crime. As a matter of fact, for lack of evidence the courts threw out most of the corruption and plunder cases filed against her. But PNoy said that more cases would be filed against her. All of these could boomerang against PNoy and hurt the Team PNoy candidates at the polls in the May election. “Three Kings”

On the other hand, the Three Kings — Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile — are carrying a lot of excess baggage. Binay, who made his presidential aspirations known long time ago, has to explain a lot of things that happened when he was mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and 2001 to 2010 — a total of 19 years!

An article, “The Lord of Makati,” was published on March 28, 2001, when he was running for another term as Makati mayor. The article says, “Can Binay explain his wealth? In less than a decade, Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay, former chair of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and former mayor of Makati, accumulated at least P80 million worth of real estate properties in Makati and Batangas, which he kept undeclared…” To date, Binay has yet to explain his wealth.

Erap carries the stigma of having been convicted of plunder while Enrile was haunted by his long association with the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. He was one of the “Rolex 12” who assisted Marcos in planning the martial law in 1972.

Although Erap and Enrile aren’t running for national office, they have an agenda in this year’s election. Erap’s son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is positioned to become Binay’s vice presidential running mate in 2016.

Enrile, who will be termed out in 2016 would like to see his son, Juan Ponce “Jack” Enrile Jr., elected senator this year. But Jack is getting a lot of flak because of several incidents in his past that involved people getting killed. Although he came out clean in those cases, there are a lot of people who are not totally convinced of his innocence.

Dynasticracy

But what is most noticeable in this year’s election is the presence of dynastic candidates. There are five dynastic candidates in Team PNoy, namely: Alan Peter Cayetano (brother of incumbent Sen. Pia Cayetano); Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV (nephew of PNoy); Cynthia Villar (wife of termed out Sen. Manny Villar); Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara (son of termed out Sen. Edgardo Angara); and Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay Jr.

In the opposition UNA, there are five dynastic candidates: Jack Enrile; Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito (son of Erap and half-brother of Jinggoy); Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco (aunt-in-law of President Aquino); Nancy Binay-Angeles (daughter of Binay); and Milagros “Mitos” Habana-Magsaysay.

In my article, “Should the Philippine Senate be abolished?” (February 6, 2013), I wrote: “If all 10 dynastic candidates win in the May elections and you add the three incumbent dynastic senators (JuanPonce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Pia Cayetano), there would be a total of 13 dynastic senators in the new Senate. That’s more than 50% of the entire Upper House of the new Congress! That’s not ‘representative’ of the people. That makes the eight family dynasties collectively in control of the majority of the Senate. That’s called dynasticracy.”

Roxas-Binay rivalry

So what’s at stake in the 2013 election?

Recently, Drilon alleged that the UNA is out to make PNoy a “lame duck” president. Binay denied the allegation, saying, “UNA remains supportive of Aquino’s ‘Daang Matuwid’ and reform agenda but would not hesitate to expose to the public any wrongdoing it will see.” However, he said, “We are the new opposition, an opposition who will be supportive of matters which the President is undertaking.” He claimed that some quarters are just trying to create a “wedge” between them. Really?

Last January 31, Drilon announced that the Liberal Party is going to field Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas as its standard bearer in 2016. With Binay running for president, would the entry of Roxas in the presidential derby bring out the old rivalry between the Samar (Noy-Bi) and Balay (Noy-Mar) factions?

It would be interesting to know how PNoy would deal with a Roxas-Binay presidential contest? Would he remain loyal to the Liberal Party and support Roxas or would he support Binay, a long-time family friend whom the Noy-Bi people say would take a bullet for PNoy?

In addition to Roxas and Binay, two other dynasts are expected to run for president in 2016 – Senators Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., the new chairman of the Lakas-CMD Party.

The 2016 presidential election might turn out to be a battle royale among the country’s powerful dynasties. Makes one wonder what did we gain in 30 years after the EDSA People Power revolution? It looks like we’re going back to square one.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchdog.com Joel Bander Law Manuel L. Quezon: A Hero And A Great Generation Mentor

AS A SECOND generation Filipino American, I have often thought about my roots and have tried to understand who and what has motivate the life I have lived and the way that I lived it. When I joined various Filipino community circles in Southern California, I could see that there were many various traits in the community one could encounter, many good and many not so.

As I live in the Los Angeles area, we are neighbors to many diverse people and Latin American people believe and feel that we Filipinos are part of a vast family called “the children of Spain”. Although Spain ceased to govern these countries where these peoples are from, these Latin-American people feel themselves as brothers to Filipinos. In many ways, the Spanish language and Catholicism still binds Filipinos to these peoples, and will bind us eternally if we have the wisdom and patriotism of preserving it.

In growing up with my parents in Southern California, I have learned many traits that have been the foundation of my upbringing and as I became a young adult, I was thrust into pure Filipino culture when the family moved back to the Philippines upon my father’s retirement from the United States Navy. Wow, this move was a life changing experience.

Upon going back, I became all of a sudden a foreigner in my homeland, where I looked Filipino but did not know Tagalog, Pilipino or any other dialect but got around easily because many Filipinos (especially seniors, adults and young adults) knew how to speak English because of the Philippines being a Commonwealth of the United States from 1898 to July 4, 1946.

As I dug deeper into the Filipino heritage I was now living in, I came across the strong reason why many Filipinos of the first generation have the traits that have made many Filipinos successful in many countries.

That strong reason is the teachings of the first President of the Philippine Commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezon. The following civic and ethics codes were promulgated by Manuel L. Quezon to the Filipino people and can be seen practiced by many Filipinos of the first and second generations.

Civics and Ethics Codes As promulgated by Manuel L. Quezon;

1. Have faith in Divine Providence that guides the destinies of men and nations.

2. Love your country for it is the home of your people, the seat of your affections, and the sources of your happiness and well-being. It’s defense is your primary duty. Be ready at all times to sacrifice and die for it if necessary.

3. Respect the Constitution which is the expression of your sovereign will. The government is your government. It has been established for your safety and welfare. Obey the laws and see that they are observed by all and that public officials comply with their duties.

4. Pay your taxes willingly and promptly. Citizenship implies not only rights but also obligations.

5. Safeguard the purity of suffrage and abide by the decisions of the majority.

6. Love and respect your parents. It is your duty to serve them gratefully and well.

7. Value your honor as you value your life. Poverty with honor is preferable to wealth with dishonor.

8. Be truthful and be honest in thought and in action. Be just and charitable, courteous but dignified in your dealings with your fellowmen.

9. Lead a clean and frugal life. Do not indulge in frivolity or pretense. Be simple in your dress and modest in your behavior.

10. Live up to the noble traditions of our people. Venerate the memory of our heroes. Their lives point the way to duty and honor.

11. Be industrious. Be not afraid or ashamed to do manual labor. Productive toil is conductive to economic security and adds to the wealth of the nation.

12. Rely on your own efforts for your progress and happiness. Be not easily discouraged. Persevere in the pursuit of your legitimate ambitions.

13. Do your work cheerfully, thoroughly, and well. Work badly done is worse than work undone. Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.

14. Contribute to the welfare of your community and promote social justice. You do not live for yourselves and family alone. You are part of society to which you owe definite responsibilities.

15. Cultivate the habit of using goods made in the Philippines. Patronize the products and trades of your countrymen.

16. Use and develop our natural resources and conserve them for posterity. They are the inalienable heritage of our people. Do not traffic with your citizenship.

17. The vital lesson we must learn from our past is that we can triumph if we only persevere. The Filipino people, by grit, hard work, and faith in God, will march forward to fulfill their destiny. This introduction to Manuel L. Quezon and his impact on our heritage will be continued with other contributions he made to our heritage. I hope this gives readers another opportunity to learn more about a great Filipino.

For more on Manuel L. Quezon, the internet is a great source for more information about this hero.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoYWatchdDog.com JoelBanderLaw Manuel L. Quezon: A Hero And A Great Generation Mentor

AS A SECOND generation Filipino American, I have often thought about my roots and have tried to understand who and what has motivate the life I have lived and the way that I lived it. When I joined various Filipino community circles in Southern California, I could see that there were many various traits in the community one could encounter, many good and many not so.

As I live in the Los Angeles area, we are neighbors to many diverse people and Latin American people believe and feel that we Filipinos are part of a vast family called “the children of Spain”. Although Spain ceased to govern these countries where these peoples are from, these Latin-American people feel themselves as brothers to Filipinos. In many ways, the Spanish language and Catholicism still binds Filipinos to these peoples, and will bind us eternally if we have the wisdom and patriotism of preserving it.

In growing up with my parents in Southern California, I have learned many traits that have been the foundation of my upbringing and as I became a young adult, I was thrust into pure Filipino culture when the family moved back to the Philippines upon my father’s retirement from the United States Navy. Wow, this move was a life changing experience.

Upon going back, I became all of a sudden a foreigner in my homeland, where I looked Filipino but did not know Tagalog, Pilipino or any other dialect but got around easily because many Filipinos (especially seniors, adults and young adults) knew how to speak English because of the Philippines being a Commonwealth of the United States from 1898 to July 4, 1946.

As I dug deeper into the Filipino heritage I was now living in, I came across the strong reason why many Filipinos of the first generation have the traits that have made many Filipinos successful in many countries.

That strong reason is the teachings of the first President of the Philippine Commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezon. The following civic and ethics codes were promulgated by Manuel L. Quezon to the Filipino people and can be seen practiced by many Filipinos of the first and second generations.

Civics and Ethics Codes As promulgated by Manuel L. Quezon;

1. Have faith in Divine Providence that guides the destinies of men and nations.

2. Love your country for it is the home of your people, the seat of your affections, and the sources of your happiness and well-being. It’s defense is your primary duty. Be ready at all times to sacrifice and die for it if necessary.

3. Respect the Constitution which is the expression of your sovereign will. The government is your government. It has been established for your safety and welfare. Obey the laws and see that they are observed by all and that public officials comply with their duties.

4. Pay your taxes willingly and promptly. Citizenship implies not only rights but also obligations.

5. Safeguard the purity of suffrage and abide by the decisions of the majority.

6. Love and respect your parents. It is your duty to serve them gratefully and well.

7. Value your honor as you value your life. Poverty with honor is preferable to wealth with dishonor.

8. Be truthful and be honest in thought and in action. Be just and charitable, courteous but dignified in your dealings with your fellowmen.

9. Lead a clean and frugal life. Do not indulge in frivolity or pretense. Be simple in your dress and modest in your behavior.

10. Live up to the noble traditions of our people. Venerate the memory of our heroes. Their lives point the way to duty and honor.

11. Be industrious. Be not afraid or ashamed to do manual labor. Productive toil is conductive to economic security and adds to the wealth of the nation.

12. Rely on your own efforts for your progress and happiness. Be not easily discouraged. Persevere in the pursuit of your legitimate ambitions.

13. Do your work cheerfully, thoroughly, and well. Work badly done is worse than work undone. Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.

14. Contribute to the welfare of your community and promote social justice. You do not live for yourselves and family alone. You are part of society to which you owe definite responsibilities.

15. Cultivate the habit of using goods made in the Philippines. Patronize the products and trades of your countrymen.

16. Use and develop our natural resources and conserve them for posterity. They are the inalienable heritage of our people. Do not traffic with your citizenship.

17. The vital lesson we must learn from our past is that we can triumph if we only persevere. The Filipino people, by grit, hard work, and faith in God, will march forward to fulfill their destiny. This introduction to Manuel L. Quezon and his impact on our heritage will be continued with other contributions he made to our heritage. I hope this gives readers another opportunity to learn more about a great Filipino.

For more on Manuel L. Quezon, the internet is a great source for more information about this hero.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchdog.com JoelBanderLaw Manuel L. Quezon: A Hero And A Great Generation Mentor

AS A SECOND generation Filipino American, I have often thought about my roots and have tried to understand who and what has motivate the life I have lived and the way that I lived it. When I joined various Filipino community circles in Southern California, I could see that there were many various traits in the community one could encounter, many good and many not so.

As I live in the Los Angeles area, we are neighbors to many diverse people and Latin American people believe and feel that we Filipinos are part of a vast family called “the children of Spain”. Although Spain ceased to govern these countries where these peoples are from, these Latin-American people feel themselves as brothers to Filipinos. In many ways, the Spanish language and Catholicism still binds Filipinos to these peoples, and will bind us eternally if we have the wisdom and patriotism of preserving it.

In growing up with my parents in Southern California, I have learned many traits that have been the foundation of my upbringing and as I became a young adult, I was thrust into pure Filipino culture when the family moved back to the Philippines upon my father’s retirement from the United States Navy. Wow, this move was a life changing experience.

Upon going back, I became all of a sudden a foreigner in my homeland, where I looked Filipino but did not know Tagalog, Pilipino or any other dialect but got around easily because many Filipinos (especially seniors, adults and young adults) knew how to speak English because of the Philippines being a Commonwealth of the United States from 1898 to July 4, 1946.

As I dug deeper into the Filipino heritage I was now living in, I came across the strong reason why many Filipinos of the first generation have the traits that have made many Filipinos successful in many countries.

That strong reason is the teachings of the first President of the Philippine Commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezon. The following civic and ethics codes were promulgated by Manuel L. Quezon to the Filipino people and can be seen practiced by many Filipinos of the first and second generations.

Civics and Ethics Codes As promulgated by Manuel L. Quezon;

1. Have faith in Divine Providence that guides the destinies of men and nations.

2. Love your country for it is the home of your people, the seat of your affections, and the sources of your happiness and well-being. It’s defense is your primary duty. Be ready at all times to sacrifice and die for it if necessary.

3. Respect the Constitution which is the expression of your sovereign will. The government is your government. It has been established for your safety and welfare. Obey the laws and see that they are observed by all and that public officials comply with their duties.

4. Pay your taxes willingly and promptly. Citizenship implies not only rights but also obligations.

5. Safeguard the purity of suffrage and abide by the decisions of the majority.

6. Love and respect your parents. It is your duty to serve them gratefully and well.

7. Value your honor as you value your life. Poverty with honor is preferable to wealth with dishonor.

8. Be truthful and be honest in thought and in action. Be just and charitable, courteous but dignified in your dealings with your fellowmen.

9. Lead a clean and frugal life. Do not indulge in frivolity or pretense. Be simple in your dress and modest in your behavior.

10. Live up to the noble traditions of our people. Venerate the memory of our heroes. Their lives point the way to duty and honor.

11. Be industrious. Be not afraid or ashamed to do manual labor. Productive toil is conductive to economic security and adds to the wealth of the nation.

12. Rely on your own efforts for your progress and happiness. Be not easily discouraged. Persevere in the pursuit of your legitimate ambitions.

13. Do your work cheerfully, thoroughly, and well. Work badly done is worse than work undone. Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.

14. Contribute to the welfare of your community and promote social justice. You do not live for yourselves and family alone. You are part of society to which you owe definite responsibilities.

15. Cultivate the habit of using goods made in the Philippines. Patronize the products and trades of your countrymen.

16. Use and develop our natural resources and conserve them for posterity. They are the inalienable heritage of our people. Do not traffic with your citizenship.

17. The vital lesson we must learn from our past is that we can triumph if we only persevere. The Filipino people, by grit, hard work, and faith in God, will march forward to fulfill their destiny. This introduction to Manuel L. Quezon and his impact on our heritage will be continued with other contributions he made to our heritage. I hope this gives readers another opportunity to learn more about a great Filipino.

For more on Manuel L. Quezon, the internet is a great source for more information about this hero.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com JoelBanderLaw The siege on the Vatican

When Pope Benedict XVI announced that he was going to resign on February 28, 2013, it sent shock waves around the world.  Being the first Pope to leave the papal throne – alive — in 600 years, two billion followers of the Roman Catholic Church are in a state of disbelief. 

  Although Pope Benedict had become the lighting rod of criticism against members of the clergy for “crimes against children,” he had steadily weathered the maelstrom of controversy that engulfed Christendom’s seat of power, the Vatican.

   Indeed, as soon as Pope Benedict announced his resignation, the enemies of the Catholic Church laid siege on the Vatican.  Yes, it was time to strike while the iron was hot.  And strike they did, hitting the Pope when he was vulnerable! 

  An obscure organization called International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State (ITCCS) issued a media release on its website, saying that Pope Benedict resigned because he found out that an unnamed European government was going to issue an “arrest warrant” against him once he had vacated the papacy.  He would then be charged of crimes against humanity and criminal conspiracy.  The person behind the ITCCS attack on the Pope is a certain Rev. Kevin D. Annett, a priest of the United Church of Canada, who is identified as ITCCS’s Secretary.

  Power struggle?

  But the siege on the Vatican might be overshadowed by a developing story that attributes the Pope’s resignation to a power struggle within the Vatican.  A source said that Pope Benedict’s decision was “brought on by his declining health in the context of a major power struggle within the Holy See.”

  The source also said that Pope Benedict recently made two major appointments including the installation of the new head of the Vatican Bank.The source also said that four cardinals, including two from Latin America, are the leading contenders to succeed the Pope.   The rumored front-runner is “a cardinal who was close to John Paul II, trusted by Benedict, skilled in Vatican maneuvering, and who has been in the front lines dealing with the rise of radical Islam.”

  Protecting the Pope  

  Last February 15, Reuters News reported that Pope Benedict decided to live in the Vatican after he steps down. This would provide him with security and privacy.  The Vatican would also provide him with legal protection – and immunity — from any attempt to prosecute him for any complicity with sexual abuse cases committed by Catholic priests around the world.

  “His continued presence in the Vatican is necessary, otherwise he might be defenseless. He wouldn’t have his immunity, his prerogatives, his security, if he is anywhere else,” a Vatican official told Reuters. 

  One consideration in deciding that Pope Benedict should live in a convent inside the Vatican after his resignation is his personal safety and privacy, which the Vatican police would be able to guarantee as long as he is within the walls of the Vatican.  And the second consideration is his potential exposure to legal claims over the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandals.

  While Pope Benedict is not currently named as a defendant in any case, the Vatican would not rule out the possibility of future lawsuits against him.  And if he lives outside the Vatican, it might attract the “crazies” to file lawsuits or he might be arrested and brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged acts while he was head of state. 

  As a resident and citizen of the sovereign state of Vatican City, Pope Benedict would have the full protection of the state under the provisions of the Lateran Pacts, which guarantee his immunity while he is in the Vatican or even if he travels in Italy as a Vatican citizen.  In 1929, Italy and the Holy See signed the Lateran Pacts that established Vatican City as a sovereign state.   

  But Pope Benedict’s resignation is not going to solve the Catholic Church’s problems with all the sexual abuse scandals.  And as long as these scandals exist, the likes of Kevin D. Annett and other enemies of the Vatican would cause the next Pope innumerable problems. 

  St. Malachy’s prophecy

  In 1139, then Archbishop Malachy O’More of Ireland went to Rome to give an account of his diocese to Pope Innocent II.  While in Rome, he received the strange vision of the future wherein was unfolded before his mind the long list of illustrious pontiffs who were to rule the Church until the end of time.  The last on that list was the 268th Pope.  

  Pope Benedict’s successor will be the 268th Pope.  And if St. Malachy’s prophecy were true, then the next Pope would be the last.  But that is an easy way to interpret the prophecy.  Could there be another interpretation? Yes, there is!   

  Ecumenical Councils

  The First Ecumenical Council, known as the Council of Nicea, took place in 325 A.D. by the order of the Roman Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine. Nicea was located in Asia Minor, east of Constantinople. At the Council of Nicea, Emperor Constantine presided over a group of Church bishops and leaders with the purpose of defining the true God for all of Christianity and eliminating all the confusion, controversy, and contention within Christ’s church. The Council of Nicea affirmed the deity of Jesus Christ and established an official definition of the Trinity — the deity of The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit under one Godhead, in three co-equal and co-eternal Persons. (www.gotquestions.org/council-of-Nicea)

  Between 325 A.D. and 1563 (Council of Trent), there were a total of 19 ecumenical councils.  It took another 307 years before another ecumenical council took place, the First Council of the Vatican in 1870, which defined the Pope’s primacy in church governance and his infallibility. 

  The Second Council of the Vatican took place in 1962-1965, which addressed pastoral and disciplinary issues dealing with the Church and its relation to the modern world, including liturgy and ecumenism.  

  Quo vadis, Vatican?

  Perhaps it’s time for the Third Council of the Vatican to take place.   There is a clamor for change from a small liberal faction of the Church.  The conservatives have the numerical strength but the liberals are more aggressive and vocal.  The next Pope would be faced with certain issues that could turn Vatican III into a battle for supremacy that could crack the “Rock” of Christendom.  A slew of issues — such as celibacy, ordination of female priests, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, and family planning — could create an atmosphere for schism to grow.  There is only one way to prevent this from happening – reform.   

  The next Pope could indeed be the “Last Pope” as we know him.  But he could also be the “First Pope” after the Catholic Church’s reformation to bring it to the realities of the 21st century and conform to the norms of society today.

  (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com Joel Bander Law The siege on the Vatican

When Pope Benedict XVI announced that he was going to resign on February 28, 2013, it sent shock waves around the world.  Being the first Pope to leave the papal throne – alive — in 600 years, two billion followers of the Roman Catholic Church are in a state of disbelief. 

  Although Pope Benedict had become the lighting rod of criticism against members of the clergy for “crimes against children,” he had steadily weathered the maelstrom of controversy that engulfed Christendom’s seat of power, the Vatican.

   Indeed, as soon as Pope Benedict announced his resignation, the enemies of the Catholic Church laid siege on the Vatican.  Yes, it was time to strike while the iron was hot.  And strike they did, hitting the Pope when he was vulnerable! 

  An obscure organization called International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State (ITCCS) issued a media release on its website, saying that Pope Benedict resigned because he found out that an unnamed European government was going to issue an “arrest warrant” against him once he had vacated the papacy.  He would then be charged of crimes against humanity and criminal conspiracy.  The person behind the ITCCS attack on the Pope is a certain Rev. Kevin D. Annett, a priest of the United Church of Canada, who is identified as ITCCS’s Secretary.

  Power struggle?

  But the siege on the Vatican might be overshadowed by a developing story that attributes the Pope’s resignation to a power struggle within the Vatican.  A source said that Pope Benedict’s decision was “brought on by his declining health in the context of a major power struggle within the Holy See.”

  The source also said that Pope Benedict recently made two major appointments including the installation of the new head of the Vatican Bank.The source also said that four cardinals, including two from Latin America, are the leading contenders to succeed the Pope.   The rumored front-runner is “a cardinal who was close to John Paul II, trusted by Benedict, skilled in Vatican maneuvering, and who has been in the front lines dealing with the rise of radical Islam.”

  Protecting the Pope  

  Last February 15, Reuters News reported that Pope Benedict decided to live in the Vatican after he steps down. This would provide him with security and privacy.  The Vatican would also provide him with legal protection – and immunity — from any attempt to prosecute him for any complicity with sexual abuse cases committed by Catholic priests around the world.

  “His continued presence in the Vatican is necessary, otherwise he might be defenseless. He wouldn’t have his immunity, his prerogatives, his security, if he is anywhere else,” a Vatican official told Reuters. 

  One consideration in deciding that Pope Benedict should live in a convent inside the Vatican after his resignation is his personal safety and privacy, which the Vatican police would be able to guarantee as long as he is within the walls of the Vatican.  And the second consideration is his potential exposure to legal claims over the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandals.

  While Pope Benedict is not currently named as a defendant in any case, the Vatican would not rule out the possibility of future lawsuits against him.  And if he lives outside the Vatican, it might attract the “crazies” to file lawsuits or he might be arrested and brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged acts while he was head of state. 

  As a resident and citizen of the sovereign state of Vatican City, Pope Benedict would have the full protection of the state under the provisions of the Lateran Pacts, which guarantee his immunity while he is in the Vatican or even if he travels in Italy as a Vatican citizen.  In 1929, Italy and the Holy See signed the Lateran Pacts that established Vatican City as a sovereign state.   

  But Pope Benedict’s resignation is not going to solve the Catholic Church’s problems with all the sexual abuse scandals.  And as long as these scandals exist, the likes of Kevin D. Annett and other enemies of the Vatican would cause the next Pope innumerable problems. 

  St. Malachy’s prophecy

  In 1139, then Archbishop Malachy O’More of Ireland went to Rome to give an account of his diocese to Pope Innocent II.  While in Rome, he received the strange vision of the future wherein was unfolded before his mind the long list of illustrious pontiffs who were to rule the Church until the end of time.  The last on that list was the 268th Pope.  

  Pope Benedict’s successor will be the 268th Pope.  And if St. Malachy’s prophecy were true, then the next Pope would be the last.  But that is an easy way to interpret the prophecy.  Could there be another interpretation? Yes, there is!   

  Ecumenical Councils

  The First Ecumenical Council, known as the Council of Nicea, took place in 325 A.D. by the order of the Roman Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine. Nicea was located in Asia Minor, east of Constantinople. At the Council of Nicea, Emperor Constantine presided over a group of Church bishops and leaders with the purpose of defining the true God for all of Christianity and eliminating all the confusion, controversy, and contention within Christ’s church. The Council of Nicea affirmed the deity of Jesus Christ and established an official definition of the Trinity — the deity of The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit under one Godhead, in three co-equal and co-eternal Persons. (www.gotquestions.org/council-of-Nicea)

  Between 325 A.D. and 1563 (Council of Trent), there were a total of 19 ecumenical councils.  It took another 307 years before another ecumenical council took place, the First Council of the Vatican in 1870, which defined the Pope’s primacy in church governance and his infallibility. 

  The Second Council of the Vatican took place in 1962-1965, which addressed pastoral and disciplinary issues dealing with the Church and its relation to the modern world, including liturgy and ecumenism.  

  Quo vadis, Vatican?

  Perhaps it’s time for the Third Council of the Vatican to take place.   There is a clamor for change from a small liberal faction of the Church.  The conservatives have the numerical strength but the liberals are more aggressive and vocal.  The next Pope would be faced with certain issues that could turn Vatican III into a battle for supremacy that could crack the “Rock” of Christendom.  A slew of issues — such as celibacy, ordination of female priests, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, and family planning — could create an atmosphere for schism to grow.  There is only one way to prevent this from happening – reform.   

  The next Pope could indeed be the “Last Pope” as we know him.  But he could also be the “First Pope” after the Catholic Church’s reformation to bring it to the realities of the 21st century and conform to the norms of society today.

  (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com Joel Bander Law THE SON ALSO RISES! An Exclusive PinoyWatchdog Interview With Senator Jinggoy Estrada

By JOEL BANDER, Senior Columnist

Two Years in Jail and Acquitted

About his Famous Father - A few weeks ago Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada graciously invited me to his Los Angeles home. The setting was a casual Sunday night gathering of Filipino family and friends, seemingly no different than the scores of similar gatherings I have attended over the years. I found the senator to be without pretension and comfortable with himself.

On basking under Erap’s reflected glory - JINGGOY ESTRADA readily admits living in the shadow of his father, former president and movie star Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada. The younger Estrada told me he always wanted to be as popular and famous as his dad. Jinggoy opined his father has greater political and acting skills. “He is more handsome than me too,” Jinggoy said.

Erap did not want Jinggoy to be an actor or enter politics. But entrance to the political arena was easy because his father’s name. Erap never wanted his son to make movies. Even so, the younger Estrada’s acting career was greatly added because of his father’s fame. But, “my acting career never really picked up until I became a senator,” Jinggoy told me. Even after reaching political success and personal maturity as a senator his father still urged him to stay away from the movies. “Dad, you were a senator and you made a movie,” Jinggoy told his father. But then, after the son’s first movie as a senator, “I just stopped telling him I was doing the movies,” leaving it to Erap to find out on his own.

Jinggoy’s second movie as a senator, “Katas Ng Saudi”, was a commercial and artistic success. “I won the FAMAS Award for best actor,” (the Philippines version of an Oscar) the unassuming Senator beamed while explaining.

Katas ng Saudi: Estrada’s Proudest Moment in Film Katas ng Saudi was a 2007 comedy-drama film produced by Maverick Films starring Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Lorna Tolentino. It was made during Estrada’s first term as Senator and is considered one of his finest films to date.

The film tells the story of an overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia, who has recently come home after a decade of working abroad. As he tries to make up for his long absence, he soon finds that winning his family’s affections isn’t as easy as providing with “pasalubongs” and shopping sprees. His wife is having a hard time accepting the fact that her husband is financially supporting his mother, his older sister, and his brother-in-law. His children grew up without a father’s image and are thus estranged to him. The film resonated with Filipino viewers because of the familiar themes of love for family and the situation faced by Filipinos who work abroad.

The movie was an official entry in the 2007 Metro Manila Film Festival where Estrada won an award for Best Actor and where the film received the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award. Katas ng Saudi also garnered several awards in 2007 and 2008 from a number of award-giving bodies including the prestigious Filipino Academy of Movie Awards and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards for Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Picture. Gross sales of the film reached P12.1 million.

Of Corruption and the Need for Iron Fisted Rule - Jinggoy told me with sadness in his voice that “the Philippines is known to be a country of corrupt people and overseas workers.” And then he asked me a rhetorical question, “Why can’t Filipinos follow the rules?”, seemingly baffled by his own inquiry. And while he wished that “Fil Ams would be more involved in community image building [but] they are branded as always infighting.”

Senator Estrada knows infighting. In 2001, his term as mayor of San Juan City ended. The Arroyo administration jailed him for two years on “trumped up” plunder charges. However, it is generally recognized that Arroyo prosecuted a no-bail plunder charge against Estrada instead of his alleged involvement in illegal gambling with stronger evidence, which was bailable. Jinggoy was acquitted of the plunder charges. (See box). The otherwise congenial senator displayed some mild hostility towards former President Arroyo when his time in prison was discussed. Pressed, he said that “I accept the jail time as being part of politics and life in the rough and tumble Philippines.”

As for corruption, Estrada’s view is the remedy is an ‘iron fisted’ executive branch enforcing existing laws, and teaching me the word in Tagalog word for ‘iron fisted’ — ‘Kamay na Bakal.’ No new laws are necessary. “For any crime the person must go to jail. No exceptions for friends or relatives.” When I gave examples of widespread corruption at courthouses and various inspection agencies that undercover investigation would easily expose, Estrada did not mention iron fists but of the inevitability of these practices as long as low wages paid to officials leaves them vulnerable to bribery. Woman’s Rights – Catholic Church -

Estrada, a devote Catholic, voted against the Reproductive Health Bill. However, he challenges the role of the Catholic Church in Philippine politics as “overreaching and inappropriate. Cardinal Sin should not have called people into the streets against Marcos and my father.” He openly laughed at the Catholic Church’s threat of excommunication against lawmakers and the president. “The church should not be in the middle of the affairs of government.”

Five years ago he would not even have taken a moment to ponder divorce as viable in the Philippines’ political landscape. But while the Senator is not yet ready to vote for a divorce bill, he admitted being personally surprised to even consider hearing discussion on the issue. As a political analyst, Estrada considers the passage of a divorce bill in the near future as ‘really a possibility.’

Senator Estrada terms out in 2016. He told me he had ‘plans’ but was not going to ‘reveal’ them at this time. Having been in the political game this brand of statement usually does not mean future plans of lecturing, writing and teaching.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com JoelBanderLaw THE SON ALSO RISES! An Exclusive PinoyWatchdog Interview With Senator Jinggoy Estrada

By JOEL BANDER, Senior Columnist

Two Years in Jail and Acquitted

About his Famous Father - A few weeks ago Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada graciously invited me to his Los Angeles home. The setting was a casual Sunday night gathering of Filipino family and friends, seemingly no different than the scores of similar gatherings I have attended over the years. I found the senator to be without pretension and comfortable with himself.

On basking under Erap’s reflected glory - JINGGOY ESTRADA readily admits living in the shadow of his father, former president and movie star Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada. The younger Estrada told me he always wanted to be as popular and famous as his dad. Jinggoy opined his father has greater political and acting skills. “He is more handsome than me too,” Jinggoy said.

Erap did not want Jinggoy to be an actor or enter politics. But entrance to the political arena was easy because his father’s name. Erap never wanted his son to make movies. Even so, the younger Estrada’s acting career was greatly added because of his father’s fame. But, “my acting career never really picked up until I became a senator,” Jinggoy told me. Even after reaching political success and personal maturity as a senator his father still urged him to stay away from the movies. “Dad, you were a senator and you made a movie,” Jinggoy told his father. But then, after the son’s first movie as a senator, “I just stopped telling him I was doing the movies,” leaving it to Erap to find out on his own.

Jinggoy’s second movie as a senator, “Katas Ng Saudi”, was a commercial and artistic success. “I won the FAMAS Award for best actor,” (the Philippines version of an Oscar) the unassuming Senator beamed while explaining.

Katas ng Saudi: Estrada’s Proudest Moment in Film Katas ng Saudi was a 2007 comedy-drama film produced by Maverick Films starring Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Lorna Tolentino. It was made during Estrada’s first term as Senator and is considered one of his finest films to date.

The film tells the story of an overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia, who has recently come home after a decade of working abroad. As he tries to make up for his long absence, he soon finds that winning his family’s affections isn’t as easy as providing with “pasalubongs” and shopping sprees. His wife is having a hard time accepting the fact that her husband is financially supporting his mother, his older sister, and his brother-in-law. His children grew up without a father’s image and are thus estranged to him. The film resonated with Filipino viewers because of the familiar themes of love for family and the situation faced by Filipinos who work abroad.

The movie was an official entry in the 2007 Metro Manila Film Festival where Estrada won an award for Best Actor and where the film received the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award. Katas ng Saudi also garnered several awards in 2007 and 2008 from a number of award-giving bodies including the prestigious Filipino Academy of Movie Awards and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards for Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Picture. Gross sales of the film reached P12.1 million.

Of Corruption and the Need for Iron Fisted Rule - Jinggoy told me with sadness in his voice that “the Philippines is known to be a country of corrupt people and overseas workers.” And then he asked me a rhetorical question, “Why can’t Filipinos follow the rules?”, seemingly baffled by his own inquiry. And while he wished that “Fil Ams would be more involved in community image building [but] they are branded as always infighting.”

Senator Estrada knows infighting. In 2001, his term as mayor of San Juan City ended. The Arroyo administration jailed him for two years on “trumped up” plunder charges. However, it is generally recognized that Arroyo prosecuted a no-bail plunder charge against Estrada instead of his alleged involvement in illegal gambling with stronger evidence, which was bailable. Jinggoy was acquitted of the plunder charges. (See box). The otherwise congenial senator displayed some mild hostility towards former President Arroyo when his time in prison was discussed. Pressed, he said that “I accept the jail time as being part of politics and life in the rough and tumble Philippines.”

As for corruption, Estrada’s view is the remedy is an ‘iron fisted’ executive branch enforcing existing laws, and teaching me the word in Tagalog word for ‘iron fisted’ — ‘Kamay na Bakal.’ No new laws are necessary. “For any crime the person must go to jail. No exceptions for friends or relatives.” When I gave examples of widespread corruption at courthouses and various inspection agencies that undercover investigation would easily expose, Estrada did not mention iron fists but of the inevitability of these practices as long as low wages paid to officials leaves them vulnerable to bribery. Woman’s Rights – Catholic Church -

Estrada, a devote Catholic, voted against the Reproductive Health Bill. However, he challenges the role of the Catholic Church in Philippine politics as “overreaching and inappropriate. Cardinal Sin should not have called people into the streets against Marcos and my father.” He openly laughed at the Catholic Church’s threat of excommunication against lawmakers and the president. “The church should not be in the middle of the affairs of government.”

Five years ago he would not even have taken a moment to ponder divorce as viable in the Philippines’ political landscape. But while the Senator is not yet ready to vote for a divorce bill, he admitted being personally surprised to even consider hearing discussion on the issue. As a political analyst, Estrada considers the passage of a divorce bill in the near future as ‘really a possibility.’

Senator Estrada terms out in 2016. He told me he had ‘plans’ but was not going to ‘reveal’ them at this time. Having been in the political game this brand of statement usually does not mean future plans of lecturing, writing and teaching.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com JoelBanderLaw Immigration Reform: Go Back To The End Of The Line

…And Maybe In 10 Years A Visa, Just Maybe

by JOEL BANDER, Senior Columnist

ON JANUARY 28, 2013, amongst much fanfare and optimism, eight U.S. senators, four from each political party, announced a Bipartisan Framework for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

The Political Climate

Hispanics have finally flexed their collective muscles. Republicans are licking their post election scars. Republicans realize they must rid the immigration issue from the election discussion in 2014.

A newer, emboldened President Obama is also now emerging. He begins this immigration reform push the prime time of any administration, the beginning. A second term president does not have to worry about the next election. And Obama knows the lingering story line that he let the immigrant community down when not fulfilling his promise to complete the task in his first term.

Obama reads more polls than I do. They all show more than half of Americans favor of a ‘path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.’ Consider, 45 percent of self-described conservatives are in favor of this concept. However, there is a hardened core of right wing conservatives opposed to any form of immigration reform, holding the view that if someone came or stayed in the country illegally they should not be rewarded. And while other fellow Republicans share that view, some many are just remaining quiet, understanding the political death knell to be outwardly anti-immigrant, unsure how to play this violate and emotional issue.

The Bipartisan Senate group believes of shoes are needed to walk 12 year path.

And many of those conservatives are opposed to any form of naturalization for this class of immigrants, seemingly a deal killer with immigrant groups and Democrats. So let’s get more complicated as we consider the security at the border.

Border Security First – You Waiting in Line, Maybe You Get Nothing in the End

Conservatives claim secure borders must come before anyone in the back of that long line gets a visa. Casting aside the rationale for linkage, defining these ‘enforcement triggers’ and who determines if the federal government makes the marker — all yet to be figured out. But the code word here is, better make those conservatives happy that no more Mexicans are going to sneak on through.

So while some Republicans want to make sure immigration passes so it is not an issue in 2014, this scheme keeps immigration in the spotlight until yet unknown enforcement targets are met.

How much does this secure border cost? I have seen estimates of $600 million to $1.2 a MILE for the sophisticated fencing proposed. The U.S. Mexican border is 2000 miles long, and we are not talking flat, comfortable farm land. Conservatives are having an internal debate whether spending these sums makes fiscal sense in these still lingering touch economic times, and how much of the barren unforgiving borderscape actually needs such fencing. This does not include ongoing labor costs, and other technology. (Those little battlefield surveillance drones might be expensive, but seem ultimately cooler than a big fence.)

Of concern to immigrant groups is a halt or slowing of funding enforcement meaning no trigger, stopped at any time in the next ten years by the very conservatives against this whole concept of a ‘path to citizenship’ in the first place. Where are the security guarantees in this scheme that the funding for border security will always be there?

Seemingly out of the standard lexicon is Obama removals (deportations) are up 25% since 2007 under in the Bush Administration. The technological lift finally in place after 9/11 has played a significant role. But no once charges that Obama is going to ease up on enforcement after an immigration reform bill is passed.

But how can the conservatives trust Obama to keep enforcing?

Obama the Bold – Same Sex Marriage Petitionable

Making sure the conservatives are paying attention President Obama announced that any immigration reform bill must allow same sex partners to petition as heterosexuals. My first reaction was smart political player. A righteous move that he sadly tosses overboard to placate conservatives that never wanted to spend all that money on the fence in the first place. Good bye triggers?

Stay tuned. This one is not going away too soon.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com Joel Bander Law Immigration Reform: Go Back To The End Of The Line

…And Maybe In 10 Years A Visa, Just Maybe

by JOEL BANDER, Senior Columnist

ON JANUARY 28, 2013, amongst much fanfare and optimism, eight U.S. senators, four from each political party, announced a Bipartisan Framework for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

The Political Climate

Hispanics have finally flexed their collective muscles. Republicans are licking their post election scars. Republicans realize they must rid the immigration issue from the election discussion in 2014.

A newer, emboldened President Obama is also now emerging. He begins this immigration reform push the prime time of any administration, the beginning. A second term president does not have to worry about the next election. And Obama knows the lingering story line that he let the immigrant community down when not fulfilling his promise to complete the task in his first term.

Obama reads more polls than I do. They all show more than half of Americans favor of a ‘path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.’ Consider, 45 percent of self-described conservatives are in favor of this concept. However, there is a hardened core of right wing conservatives opposed to any form of immigration reform, holding the view that if someone came or stayed in the country illegally they should not be rewarded. And while other fellow Republicans share that view, some many are just remaining quiet, understanding the political death knell to be outwardly anti-immigrant, unsure how to play this violate and emotional issue.

The Bipartisan Senate group believes of shoes are needed to walk 12 year path.

And many of those conservatives are opposed to any form of naturalization for this class of immigrants, seemingly a deal killer with immigrant groups and Democrats. So let’s get more complicated as we consider the security at the border.

Border Security First – You Waiting in Line, Maybe You Get Nothing in the End

Conservatives claim secure borders must come before anyone in the back of that long line gets a visa. Casting aside the rationale for linkage, defining these ‘enforcement triggers’ and who determines if the federal government makes the marker — all yet to be figured out. But the code word here is, better make those conservatives happy that no more Mexicans are going to sneak on through.

So while some Republicans want to make sure immigration passes so it is not an issue in 2014, this scheme keeps immigration in the spotlight until yet unknown enforcement targets are met.

How much does this secure border cost? I have seen estimates of $600 million to $1.2 a MILE for the sophisticated fencing proposed. The U.S. Mexican border is 2000 miles long, and we are not talking flat, comfortable farm land. Conservatives are having an internal debate whether spending these sums makes fiscal sense in these still lingering touch economic times, and how much of the barren unforgiving borderscape actually needs such fencing. This does not include ongoing labor costs, and other technology. (Those little battlefield surveillance drones might be expensive, but seem ultimately cooler than a big fence.)

Of concern to immigrant groups is a halt or slowing of funding enforcement meaning no trigger, stopped at any time in the next ten years by the very conservatives against this whole concept of a ‘path to citizenship’ in the first place. Where are the security guarantees in this scheme that the funding for border security will always be there?

Seemingly out of the standard lexicon is Obama removals (deportations) are up 25% since 2007 under in the Bush Administration. The technological lift finally in place after 9/11 has played a significant role. But no once charges that Obama is going to ease up on enforcement after an immigration reform bill is passed.

But how can the conservatives trust Obama to keep enforcing?

Obama the Bold – Same Sex Marriage Petitionable

Making sure the conservatives are paying attention President Obama announced that any immigration reform bill must allow same sex partners to petition as heterosexuals. My first reaction was smart political player. A righteous move that he sadly tosses overboard to placate conservatives that never wanted to spend all that money on the fence in the first place. Good bye triggers?

Stay tuned. This one is not going away too soon.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com JoelBanderLaw The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines: A Tale of God and Hard Ball Politics

By Monte Hill

The ruling hierarchy of the Philippine Catholic Church has wielded enormous moral power in the Philippines largely because it has had the field all to itself. Organized in 1968 as the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the bishops base their authority on the theory that their privileged relationship with God gives them the absolute authority to judge and enforce the moral behavior of all Filipinos including civil authorities.

Historically, most Filipinos have bought this argument and have strongly supported CBCP leadership not only in spiritual matters but also in virtually every other aspect of Philippine society. As a consequence, the CBCP has become a national institution with a blending of moral and secular power at times equal to or superior to the power of Philippine civil authorities.

Under the guise of moral righteousness, the CBCP has been a ruthless hardball player perfectly willing to get down in the muck of Philippine politics in order to achieve its institutional goals.  Besides massive demonstrations, prayer rallies and media blitzes, the CBCP and its allies cut backroom deals, distort and make astonishing claims about issues and bully legislators and officials.

The recent epic battle over the Reproduction Act of 2012 is a good example. Among other things, the CBCP claims that artificial birth control leads to promoscurity, masturbation, blindness, sexual dysfunction, veneral diseases, homosexuality and mental illness. None of these claims have a scientific basis.

At the same time, the CBCP attempts to intimidate anti-natal policymakers by threatening to oppose them in elections and by threatening to withhold essential church services such as marriage, baptism and funerals. They also threatened to excommunicate individuals – most notably President Benigno Aquino III.

All these hardball tactics have been funded by the donations of ordinary mostly poor Filipino Catholics. Millions of Philippine pesos are spent by the CBCP and its affiliates for political projects and electioneering without public disclosure, oversight or other accountability measures.

Until recently, these tactics have been very successful. Very few public policies have been adopted against CBCP opposition. Birth control, divorce, capital punishment and nuclear power development are but a few high profile examples. In electoral politics, the removal of former dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and the election of Corazon Aquino would have been impossible without CBCP support.

The CBCP has also used its political muscle to stave off government inquiry into the systematic sexual misconduct of Catholic priests. The lack of legal inquiry by Philippine authorities allowed the CBCP to not only tolerate the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests but conspire to hide the crimes and silence the victims. The CBCP’s coverup of the sex scandal reflects the deliberate, cold and calculating nature of its small all male elite leadership.

CBCP hardball political tactics have also paid off in the form of government financial support for Catholic church purposes. For example, former President Gloria Arroyo funneled millions of pesos and a fleet of expensive vehicles from the Philippine Charities Sweepstakes to the bishops for their discretionary use before she left office in 2010. The monies and vehicles were widely perceived by the Philippine public as a payoff for CBCP support of Arroyo who is being held on corruption charges.

However, after decades of dominance, there are clear signs that a new generation of Filipinos has emerged with views that are far different from CBCP policies. For one thing, they are rejecting the claim of Catholic Bishops that they have special power from God to determine what is best for the Filipino people. They also argue that CBCP influence should be limited to the pulpit and that the hard-earned dollars of Filipino Catholics be spent on education and poverty. They are also rejecting CBCP policies that lack common sense and are irrelevant to a modern Philippines. Public opinion surveys show, for example, that young Filipinos support not only artificial birth control but also divorce, same sex marriages and homosexuality.

Moreover, many young Filipinos are not just rejecting CBCP policies but the Catholic Church itself. This is reflected in the growth of the Iglesia ni Kristo, El Shaddai and other protestant denominations.

In 1992, CBCP power was insufficient to prevent the election of Fidel Ramos as the first and only Protestant President in Philippine history. Later, in 2012, the Philippine Senate ignored CBCP pronouncements and removed Renato Corona as Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court.

If the CBCP continues in its present destructive path, the bishops will no longer be perceived as “great moral beacons” and champions of the poor and weak but as just another example of the powerful exploiting the powerless – in this case, from the plush offices and lounges of CBCP headquarters in Intramuros.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com Joel Bander Law The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines: A Tale of God and Hard Ball Politics

By Monte Hill

The ruling hierarchy of the Philippine Catholic Church has wielded enormous moral power in the Philippines largely because it has had the field all to itself. Organized in 1968 as the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the bishops base their authority on the theory that their privileged relationship with God gives them the absolute authority to judge and enforce the moral behavior of all Filipinos including civil authorities.

Historically, most Filipinos have bought this argument and have strongly supported CBCP leadership not only in spiritual matters but also in virtually every other aspect of Philippine society. As a consequence, the CBCP has become a national institution with a blending of moral and secular power at times equal to or superior to the power of Philippine civil authorities.

Under the guise of moral righteousness, the CBCP has been a ruthless hardball player perfectly willing to get down in the muck of Philippine politics in order to achieve its institutional goals.  Besides massive demonstrations, prayer rallies and media blitzes, the CBCP and its allies cut backroom deals, distort and make astonishing claims about issues and bully legislators and officials.

The recent epic battle over the Reproduction Act of 2012 is a good example. Among other things, the CBCP claims that artificial birth control leads to promoscurity, masturbation, blindness, sexual dysfunction, veneral diseases, homosexuality and mental illness. None of these claims have a scientific basis.

At the same time, the CBCP attempts to intimidate anti-natal policymakers by threatening to oppose them in elections and by threatening to withhold essential church services such as marriage, baptism and funerals. They also threatened to excommunicate individuals – most notably President Benigno Aquino III.

All these hardball tactics have been funded by the donations of ordinary mostly poor Filipino Catholics. Millions of Philippine pesos are spent by the CBCP and its affiliates for political projects and electioneering without public disclosure, oversight or other accountability measures.

Until recently, these tactics have been very successful. Very few public policies have been adopted against CBCP opposition. Birth control, divorce, capital punishment and nuclear power development are but a few high profile examples. In electoral politics, the removal of former dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and the election of Corazon Aquino would have been impossible without CBCP support.

The CBCP has also used its political muscle to stave off government inquiry into the systematic sexual misconduct of Catholic priests. The lack of legal inquiry by Philippine authorities allowed the CBCP to not only tolerate the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests but conspire to hide the crimes and silence the victims. The CBCP’s coverup of the sex scandal reflects the deliberate, cold and calculating nature of its small all male elite leadership.

CBCP hardball political tactics have also paid off in the form of government financial support for Catholic church purposes. For example, former President Gloria Arroyo funneled millions of pesos and a fleet of expensive vehicles from the Philippine Charities Sweepstakes to the bishops for their discretionary use before she left office in 2010. The monies and vehicles were widely perceived by the Philippine public as a payoff for CBCP support of Arroyo who is being held on corruption charges.

However, after decades of dominance, there are clear signs that a new generation of Filipinos has emerged with views that are far different from CBCP policies. For one thing, they are rejecting the claim of Catholic Bishops that they have special power from God to determine what is best for the Filipino people. They also argue that CBCP influence should be limited to the pulpit and that the hard-earned dollars of Filipino Catholics be spent on education and poverty. They are also rejecting CBCP policies that lack common sense and are irrelevant to a modern Philippines. Public opinion surveys show, for example, that young Filipinos support not only artificial birth control but also divorce, same sex marriages and homosexuality.

Moreover, many young Filipinos are not just rejecting CBCP policies but the Catholic Church itself. This is reflected in the growth of the Iglesia ni Kristo, El Shaddai and other protestant denominations.

In 1992, CBCP power was insufficient to prevent the election of Fidel Ramos as the first and only Protestant President in Philippine history. Later, in 2012, the Philippine Senate ignored CBCP pronouncements and removed Renato Corona as Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court.

If the CBCP continues in its present destructive path, the bishops will no longer be perceived as “great moral beacons” and champions of the poor and weak but as just another example of the powerful exploiting the powerless – in this case, from the plush offices and lounges of CBCP headquarters in Intramuros.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

Pinoy WatchDog.com JoelBanderLaw The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines: A Tale of God and Hard Ball Politics

By Monte Hill

The ruling hierarchy of the Philippine Catholic Church has wielded enormous moral power in the Philippines largely because it has had the field all to itself. Organized in 1968 as the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the bishops base their authority on the theory that their privileged relationship with God gives them the absolute authority to judge and enforce the moral behavior of all Filipinos including civil authorities.

Historically, most Filipinos have bought this argument and have strongly supported CBCP leadership not only in spiritual matters but also in virtually every other aspect of Philippine society. As a consequence, the CBCP has become a national institution with a blending of moral and secular power at times equal to or superior to the power of Philippine civil authorities.

Under the guise of moral righteousness, the CBCP has been a ruthless hardball player perfectly willing to get down in the muck of Philippine politics in order to achieve its institutional goals.  Besides massive demonstrations, prayer rallies and media blitzes, the CBCP and its allies cut backroom deals, distort and make astonishing claims about issues and bully legislators and officials.

The recent epic battle over the Reproduction Act of 2012 is a good example. Among other things, the CBCP claims that artificial birth control leads to promoscurity, masturbation, blindness, sexual dysfunction, veneral diseases, homosexuality and mental illness. None of these claims have a scientific basis.

At the same time, the CBCP attempts to intimidate anti-natal policymakers by threatening to oppose them in elections and by threatening to withhold essential church services such as marriage, baptism and funerals. They also threatened to excommunicate individuals – most notably President Benigno Aquino III.

All these hardball tactics have been funded by the donations of ordinary mostly poor Filipino Catholics. Millions of Philippine pesos are spent by the CBCP and its affiliates for political projects and electioneering without public disclosure, oversight or other accountability measures.

Until recently, these tactics have been very successful. Very few public policies have been adopted against CBCP opposition. Birth control, divorce, capital punishment and nuclear power development are but a few high profile examples. In electoral politics, the removal of former dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos and the election of Corazon Aquino would have been impossible without CBCP support.

The CBCP has also used its political muscle to stave off government inquiry into the systematic sexual misconduct of Catholic priests. The lack of legal inquiry by Philippine authorities allowed the CBCP to not only tolerate the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests but conspire to hide the crimes and silence the victims. The CBCP’s coverup of the sex scandal reflects the deliberate, cold and calculating nature of its small all male elite leadership.

CBCP hardball political tactics have also paid off in the form of government financial support for Catholic church purposes. For example, former President Gloria Arroyo funneled millions of pesos and a fleet of expensive vehicles from the Philippine Charities Sweepstakes to the bishops for their discretionary use before she left office in 2010. The monies and vehicles were widely perceived by the Philippine public as a payoff for CBCP support of Arroyo who is being held on corruption charges.

However, after decades of dominance, there are clear signs that a new generation of Filipinos has emerged with views that are far different from CBCP policies. For one thing, they are rejecting the claim of Catholic Bishops that they have special power from God to determine what is best for the Filipino people. They also argue that CBCP influence should be limited to the pulpit and that the hard-earned dollars of Filipino Catholics be spent on education and poverty. They are also rejecting CBCP policies that lack common sense and are irrelevant to a modern Philippines. Public opinion surveys show, for example, that young Filipinos support not only artificial birth control but also divorce, same sex marriages and homosexuality.

Moreover, many young Filipinos are not just rejecting CBCP policies but the Catholic Church itself. This is reflected in the growth of the Iglesia ni Kristo, El Shaddai and other protestant denominations.

In 1992, CBCP power was insufficient to prevent the election of Fidel Ramos as the first and only Protestant President in Philippine history. Later, in 2012, the Philippine Senate ignored CBCP pronouncements and removed Renato Corona as Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court.

If the CBCP continues in its present destructive path, the bishops will no longer be perceived as “great moral beacons” and champions of the poor and weak but as just another example of the powerful exploiting the powerless – in this case, from the plush offices and lounges of CBCP headquarters in Intramuros.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com JoelBanderLaw GUN CONTROL NEEDED —- IN THE PHILIPPINES

By Bernie Cortes-Kimmerle

The Philippines is number one… in firearm related deaths in Asia.

Let’s take a look at some facts:  Statistics show that there are nine firearms for every ten Americans.  There are only 0.5 guns for every ten Filipinos.  Here’s more – the U.S. has 2.97 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people and the Philippines has 8.93 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people.  Guns are supposed to be rare back home.  However, it is common knowledge that if you have a gun in the Philippines, you are supposedly powerful, really unchecked “power.”  It is also touted that when it comes to gun violence, the death toll rises as elections draw near.

A study conducted by The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), a non-government organization, states the Philippines ranked 10th in the list of countries across the globe with the highest number of gun-related killings.

From 2000 to August 2005, 22 journalists were killed by gun violence in the Philippines.  When President Gloria Arroyo took office in January 2001, 244 killings of activists were reported during the first year.  The Philippines has a population of 90 million people; more than HALF of the estimated 2 million revolvers, pistols, and assault rifles are unregistered and illegal according to Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Rafal. Most of these small arms -70%, are with civilians and are concentrated on the southern island of Mindanao – Basilan, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi.  Some of the guns are carried around like fashion accessories to display power and authority. In 2006, 98.9% of 3,540 crimes reported used unlicensed guns, Rafal said.

Authorities in Manila blame the proliferation of guns on the rise of violent crime.  A report states that there are more than 800,000 licensed firearms and another 500,000 loose guns. Of the seized crime guns, 87% are unlicensed and when it comes to murders, 78% came from small arms.  The Philippine National Police acknowledges that firearms are behind most crimes. 87% of firearms that were used in crimes from 1993 to 2004 were unlicensed though a big part of it had registration papers.

Just where are these guns, semis and ammunition coming from?

An Amnesty International study points to three sources:  local manufacture, smuggling and diversion from government sources. The Visayas have been manufacturing guns for decades. Most of them are unlicensed and they go as low as $15.00.  Guns are smuggled from China, Libya, Malaysia and Afghanistan, coming from our islands in the south.  The Philippine government is also a known source when it comes to loose firearms, whether through loss, theft or illegal sale.

The Philippines, like the United States, has a “gun culture.”    The study mentioned attributes three factors:  1. POWER – bring the “macho” out in you; 2. PROTECTION – personal security and protection of family and land; and 3. VIGILANTES – taking the law into their own hands because of a screwed-up justice system.  But this is not the problem.

IT IS ELECTION TIME.  The Philippine National Police expect a rise in gun deaths because of the upcoming elections according to Jesus Verzosa who heads the Philippine National Police.

The above statistics are not to condemn gun ownership or enter into a diatribe whether it is wrong or right to carry arms.  We all know that the powerful people have the means to carry weapons… the poor get the cheap guns to rob families so their families can eat…Really?  WHY are we number one in gun-related deaths in Asia?  Is it perhaps some of the U.S. “gun culture” squirmed its way with the way we think about guns?

The question is, why, oh why, is our country the top in Asia when it comes to gun culture.?  Why must there be murders and killings when it comes to election time.

Perhaps it is time that we zoom in to problem as to who these powers are – - and why they get away with killing people with weapons legal or illegal – and why they think they have this right just to achieve power.

Lawlessness and violent death will not abate in the Philippines until we have some real ‘gun control’ back home.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com Joel Bander Law GUN CONTROL NEEDED —- IN THE PHILIPPINES

By Bernie Cortes-Kimmerle

The Philippines is number one… in firearm related deaths in Asia.

Let’s take a look at some facts:  Statistics show that there are nine firearms for every ten Americans.  There are only 0.5 guns for every ten Filipinos.  Here’s more – the U.S. has 2.97 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people and the Philippines has 8.93 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people.  Guns are supposed to be rare back home.  However, it is common knowledge that if you have a gun in the Philippines, you are supposedly powerful, really unchecked “power.”  It is also touted that when it comes to gun violence, the death toll rises as elections draw near.

A study conducted by The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), a non-government organization, states the Philippines ranked 10th in the list of countries across the globe with the highest number of gun-related killings.

From 2000 to August 2005, 22 journalists were killed by gun violence in the Philippines.  When President Gloria Arroyo took office in January 2001, 244 killings of activists were reported during the first year.  The Philippines has a population of 90 million people; more than HALF of the estimated 2 million revolvers, pistols, and assault rifles are unregistered and illegal according to Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Rafal. Most of these small arms -70%, are with civilians and are concentrated on the southern island of Mindanao – Basilan, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi.  Some of the guns are carried around like fashion accessories to display power and authority. In 2006, 98.9% of 3,540 crimes reported used unlicensed guns, Rafal said.

Authorities in Manila blame the proliferation of guns on the rise of violent crime.  A report states that there are more than 800,000 licensed firearms and another 500,000 loose guns. Of the seized crime guns, 87% are unlicensed and when it comes to murders, 78% came from small arms.  The Philippine National Police acknowledges that firearms are behind most crimes. 87% of firearms that were used in crimes from 1993 to 2004 were unlicensed though a big part of it had registration papers.

Just where are these guns, semis and ammunition coming from?

An Amnesty International study points to three sources:  local manufacture, smuggling and diversion from government sources. The Visayas have been manufacturing guns for decades. Most of them are unlicensed and they go as low as $15.00.  Guns are smuggled from China, Libya, Malaysia and Afghanistan, coming from our islands in the south.  The Philippine government is also a known source when it comes to loose firearms, whether through loss, theft or illegal sale.

The Philippines, like the United States, has a “gun culture.”    The study mentioned attributes three factors:  1. POWER – bring the “macho” out in you; 2. PROTECTION – personal security and protection of family and land; and 3. VIGILANTES – taking the law into their own hands because of a screwed-up justice system.  But this is not the problem.

IT IS ELECTION TIME.  The Philippine National Police expect a rise in gun deaths because of the upcoming elections according to Jesus Verzosa who heads the Philippine National Police.

The above statistics are not to condemn gun ownership or enter into a diatribe whether it is wrong or right to carry arms.  We all know that the powerful people have the means to carry weapons… the poor get the cheap guns to rob families so their families can eat…Really?  WHY are we number one in gun-related deaths in Asia?  Is it perhaps some of the U.S. “gun culture” squirmed its way with the way we think about guns?

The question is, why, oh why, is our country the top in Asia when it comes to gun culture.?  Why must there be murders and killings when it comes to election time.

Perhaps it is time that we zoom in to problem as to who these powers are – - and why they get away with killing people with weapons legal or illegal – and why they think they have this right just to achieve power.

Lawlessness and violent death will not abate in the Philippines until we have some real ‘gun control’ back home.

[pinoywatchdogupdates-blog]

PinoyWatchDog.com JoelBanderLaw GUN CONTROL NEEDED —- IN THE PHILIPPINES

By Bernie Cortes-Kimmerle

The Philippines is number one… in firearm related deaths in Asia.

Let’s take a look at some facts:  Statistics show that there are nine firearms for every ten Americans.  There are only 0.5 guns for every ten Filipinos.  Here’s more – the U.S. has 2.97 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people and the Philippines has 8.93 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people.  Guns are supposed to be rare back home.  However, it is common knowledge that if you have a gun in the Philippines, you are supposedly powerful, really unchecked “power.”  It is also touted that when it comes to gun violence, the death toll rises as elections draw near.

A study conducted by The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), a non-government organization, states the Philippines ranked 10th in the list of countries across the globe with the highest number of gun-related killings.

From 2000 to August 2005, 22 journalists were killed by gun violence in the Philippines.  When President Gloria Arroyo took office in January 2001, 244 killings of activists were reported during the first year.  The Philippines has a population of 90 million people; more than HALF of the estimated 2 million revolvers, pistols, and assault rifles are unregistered and illegal according to Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Rafal. Most of these small arms -70%, are with civilians and are concentrated on the southern island of Mindanao – Basilan, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi.  Some of the guns are carried around like fashion accessories to display power and authority. In 2006, 98.9% of 3,540 crimes reported used unlicensed guns, Rafal said.

Authorities in Manila blame the proliferation of guns on the rise of violent crime.  A report states that there are more than 800,000 licensed firearms and another 500,000 loose guns. Of the seized crime guns, 87% are unlicensed and when it comes to murders, 78% came from small arms.  The Philippine National Police acknowledges that firearms are behind most crimes. 87% of firearms that were used in crimes from 1993 to 2004 were unlicensed though a big part of it had registration papers.

Just where are these guns, semis and ammunition coming from?

An Amnesty International study points to three sources:  local manufacture, smuggling and diversion from government sources. The Visayas have been manufacturing guns for decades. Most of them are unlicensed and they go as low as $15.00.  Guns are smuggled from China, Libya, Malaysia and Afghanistan, coming from our islands in the south.  The Philippine government is also a known source when it comes to loose firearms, whether through loss, theft or illegal sale.

The Philippines, like the United States, has a “gun culture.”    The study mentioned attributes three factors:  1. POWER – bring the “macho” out in you; 2. PROTECTION – personal security and protection of family and land; and 3. VIGILANTES – taking the law into their own hands because of a screwed-up justice system.  But this is not the problem.

IT IS ELECTION TIME.  The Philippine National Police expect a rise in gun deaths because of the upcoming elections according to Jesus Verzosa who heads the Philippine National Police.

The above statistics are not to condemn gun ownership or enter into a diatribe whether it is wrong or right to carry arms.  We all know that the powerful people have the means to carry weapons… the poor get the cheap guns to rob families so their families can eat…Really?  WHY are we number one in gun-related deaths in Asia?  Is it perhaps some of the U.S. “gun culture” squirmed its way with the way we think about guns?

The question is, why, oh why, is our country the top in Asia when it comes to gun culture.?  Why must there be murders and killings when it comes to election time.

Perhaps it is time that we zoom in to problem as to who these powers are – - and why they get away with killing people with weapons legal or illegal – and why they think they have this right just to achieve power.

Lawlessness and violent death will not abate in the Philippines until we have some real ‘gun control’ back home.