There is something wrong here.
President Aquino said the Philippine government boycotted the awarding of the Nobel peace prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in exchange for the freedom of five Filipinos in the death row in China for drug trafficking.
Are we condoning drug trafficking?
What happens now to our own fight against illegal drugs? If we ask foreign governments to relax their laws against Filipinos involved in trafficking of illegal drugs, have we the right to be hard on other nationalities involved in drug trafficking in our own country?
If foreigners are caught trafficking illegal drugs in the country and their country asked to free them, are we also going to do that?
Something is wrong. Very wrong.
*******
Aquino on Oslo snub: It’s in our national interest
By DJ Yap, Juliet Labog-Javellana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Filipinos’ interest first.
And the Philippine government stayed away from the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to a Chinese democracy activist because the lives of at least five Filipinos with no reprieve on death row in China are at stake.
Not sending a representative to the Nobel ceremony for detained Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo does not mean the Philippines is not championing democracy and human rights, President Benigno Aquino said.
It is just that the human rights and lives of Filipinos come first, Mr. Aquino candidly told the Inquirer. The government position drew howls of protests from human rights advocates here and abroad.
“Our interest [is] to advance our citizens’ needs first,” he said on Friday night, adding that he did not want to jeopardize efforts to spare five Filipinos sentenced to death for drug trafficking in China.
He said he had already sent a letter to the Chinese government seeking clemency for the doomed Filipino workers.
It was the first time Mr. Aquino, the only son of the late democracy icons former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino, talked about the latest controversy to hit his six-month-old administration.
“It’s in our national interest that we do not at this time send a representative to the Nobel award rites. But we remain firmly committed to human rights,” he said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has denied that China pressured the Philippines into boycotting the event. It said Philippine Ambassador to Norway Elizabeth Buensuceso had to attend a previously scheduled consular event in Denmark.
2 other reasons
Mr. Aquino cited two other reasons for foregoing attendance in the Nobel ceremony.
He admitted that the Philippine government was in the process of achieving “closure” with China on the Aug. 23 hostage crisis in Manila where eight Hong Kong tourists were killed.
A top-level delegation to be led by Vice President Jejomar Binay and Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim is expected to meet with Chinese government officials next week to officially convey the results of the investigation on the botched hostage rescue.
The President said he was also concerned about the safety of Filipinos who might be affected by the tension between South Korea and North Korea. He said the government wanted to stabilize the situation for the Filipinos in the two Koreas.
China has moved to mediate between its ally North Korea and US ally South Korea.
Nine Filipinos are in North Korea, while 50,000 are in South Korea, the President said.
High-level, low-key
The DFA through its spokesperson Eduardo Malaya said Philippine diplomats in China were working quietly on the “judicial and political fronts” to save the five Filipinos on death row. http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100902-290106/5-Filipino-drug-mules-in-China-death-row
On the phone with the Inquirer, Malaya said the Filipinos’ drug trafficking cases were under review by the People’s Supreme Court of China.
He said the “high-level and low-key” efforts by the Philippine embassy in Beijing involved assisting the Filipino prisoners in filing their appeals as well as relaying requests for clemency to Chinese officials through legal and diplomatic channels.
Malaya would not confirm if the President had sent a letter to the Chinese government appealing the cases of the five Filipinos.
He said that these cases were especially sensitive and that any statement should be couched with caution. He noted the unfortunate case of Akmal Shaikh, a Pakistan-born Briton, who was executed in 2009 after and despite public appeals for clemency by then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, plunging the two countries in a diplomatic row.
Malaya said the five were the only Filipinos technically on death row, even though about 70 other Filipinos had been convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death in China.
“These five have no reprieve. All the others have a two-year reprieve, and with good behavior, they have a good chance of having their sentence automatically commuted to life imprisonment,” he said.
He added that the People’s Supreme Court of China had not handed down a decision on the five Filipinos, and that it was not yet clear when it would be handed down.
‘US-led issue’?
China has condemned the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize on Xiaobo, who was sentenced in December 2009 to 11 years in jail for subversion following his call for reform in China’s one-party communist rule.
China and 18 other countries, including the Philippines, did not send representatives to the ceremony where an empty chair stood for the imprisoned Xiaobo. At least 45 countries were reported to have attended the ceremony, which was also graced by high-ranking US officials.
Not between US, China
That the controversy against countries that boycotted the Nobel ceremony could be a “US-led politically charged issue” against China was not lost on Mr. Aquino.
The President said the issue does not boil down between Beijing and Washington. “This is about the Philippines and our citizens.”
He said some American officials had sent feelers about withdrawing some US grants to the Philippines.
The officials did not say whether the threat was connected to the Nobel issue. But Mr. Aquino said he felt that the “timing” of the message was suspicious.
Mr. Aquino’s move was reminiscent of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s decision in 2004 to withdraw the Philippine peacekeeping force from Iraq after kidnappers threatened to kill Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz in Baghdad.
The withdrawal of the 51-strong Philippine contingent angered the US government led by then President George W. Bush.
Aquino is getting very bad advice. And he does not have the wisdom assrt what is basically right.
What is happening to us??
Ellen,
Something is very wrong indeed. None of the reasons they gave for not attending the Nobel Peace Prize awarding ceremony is in national interest! No way in hell…
(1) the main reason that was given for not attending the Nobel Prize awarding ceremony, i.e., “because the lives of at least five Filipinos with no reprieve on death row in China are at stake”, seems to me, was plucked from thin air — as some kind of an afterthought, in order to make the “surrender to China” policy more palatable to the Filipino people. And that was what was wrong!
PR folks in Malacanang know full well that Filipinos would react with less hostility to this government’s wormy stand to China if it meant saving the lives of people. The criticism this govt got during the hostage crisis in Luneta when govt chose had not given in to the hijacker’s demands and lives were lost was a remi… (which, in my view is symptomatic of a warped sense of values and priorities)
2) the NOKOR-SOKOR issue reason is another stupid afterthought and sounds very stupid. What has the Korea issue got to do with RP’s national interest”? Also, what has the Korea problem got got to do with the Nobel Peace Prize?
OK, there are 50,000 Filipinos in SoKor who stand to be caught in the middle should armed conflict arise between the 2 Koreas so is this govt saying that RP is playing some sort of peace mediator card and has asked China to step up its pressure over NoKor so the latter doesn’t go around attacking NoKor? Granted this govt had this in mind, why would China even listen to this govt or to its president (particularly after China refused to give Aquino audience 3 times). OK, maybe this govt is spurred by some humanitarian motive and is thinking ahead and wants to ask China to agree to rescue those 50,000 Filipinos in case of armed conflict between the 2 Koreas? If so, what makes this govt believe that China would even rescue 1,000 Filipinos if war does break out between the 2 Koreas? In other words, there is no way in hell this govt can convince me that the Korea issue or the 50,000 Filipinos in the Korea Peninsula is on top of their mind for not attending the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. If it is so, then they’ve got their geopolitcal strategy all screwed.
3) However, I do believe that the main reason why this govt refused to send a delegation to the ceremony is because it didn’t want to further offend the sensibilities of bloody China which Romulo was reported to have articulated. That is the most plausible and the most understandable reason so why the fuck couldn’t they just stop at that instead of giving all the mumbo-jumbo reasons which, no matter how you disect them, smell crap.
There is potentially another reason which this govt refused to reveal (and will never reveal) is that there is a strong China lobby (led by Chinese businessmen in the Philippines) in Manila that’s been tasked by perhaps China authorities to persuade Malacanang and that bonehead in the DFA to boycott the ceremony in Oslo. In other words, the govt is shitting the nation about and doing it so stupidly that it won’t be long before Aquino comes out publicly without his trousers because China and the Chinamen lobby in Manila have asked him to.
It is not by committing one blunder after the other that this govt will appease China over the hostage fiasco. It is not by playing doormat all the way through that this govt can expect to save the lives of the Filipino drug traffickers in China and it is definitely not by lying to the nation that this govt can expect China and Chinamen in the Philippines to treat Filipino citizens with respect.
It is by acting with dignity and courage, intelligently and responsibly particularly in the face of a bully nation like China that they will earn the respect of the corrupt China authorities.
It is time perhaps to practice BUMIPUTRA in the Philippines!
I am prepared to stand by my president and defend him in the face of his detractors on the condition that he acts responsibly and intelligently as a leader.
But by gum, I’m finding it difficult to give him total support particularly when he allows himself to be bumbfucked by those monkeys in China and those Chinese businessmen in the Philippines! It is already bad that he is allowing himself to be screwed backside by his incompetent advisers but to lie prostrate in active surrender while those goddamn sonovabitches in Beijing ravish his manhood is a bit too much…
It is time to ask Filipinos of Chinese descent in the Philippines to choose between China and the Philippines (me included because my paternal grandmother was of Chinese origin)!
Will they swear total allegiance, i.e., undying loyalty, to the Philippines instead of to China? If ever a conflict with China arises, would they be prepared to give up their lives for the Philippines, the country that gave them a second chance, the country that brought them out of their China misery, the country that gave them vast opportunities that enabled them to live wonderful rich lives, be educated, have Filipino servants, live a life that they would not have had in their country of origin, etc., etc.?
If they answer in the affirmative, then there should be no problem but if they answer in the negative, they should have the courage to come out and say it openly!
I don’t know why our gov’t (past & present) would even try to help and protect convicted Filipinos who committed their crimes in foreign lands. It’s a crime they did and they have to pay for it.
Ok, Ellen, am going to bed 😉 — tired, it’s almost 5 AM here -just got back from a party — tee hee, just could not not say hello to Ellenville before hitting the sack 😛
He has not been convicted yet — Congressman Ronald Singson, in Hongkong on bail for drug trafficking. But I believe that Ronald Singson (not the 5 convicted) is much more the reason why Noynoy has pulled Pilipinas attendance from Oslo despite the fact that Liu Xiaobao is only the second Asian (after Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi (1991) ) to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Local Pilipinas politics held in higher regards by PresNoynoy over Pilipinas standing in the international community of nations that are concerned about freedom of speech and human rights issues.
“Our interest [is] to advance our citizens’ needs first,” he said on Friday night, adding that he did not want to jeopardize efforts to spare five Filipinos sentenced to death for drug trafficking in China.
Teribleng advice, sino kayang nagbulong nito kay Noynoy?!
Convicted of drug trafficking in China priority ni PNoy na i-save and yet those OFWs in the Middle East who done nothing like this crime but lingering in jail got no ‘special care’ from the president. Wow, swerte naman ng mga katulad ni Congressman Ronald Singson!
Kayang-kayang gawing probinsya ng China ang Pinas sa panahon ni Noynoy! Approve without thinking!
Why Penoy is too compassionate for those who are jailed in other countries? Yes, they are in jail because they commit crimes.When you go to another country, you are not only a guest in that country, but even more so an ambassador of your own country.
All nations have sovereign rights. If you elect to travel outside your country to another country, you are subject to its sovereignty while you are there and responsible for obeying its laws.
You should be held accountable in the country where the crime is committed. You are responsible for ensuring that you are aware of the laws of that country. Otherwise you are just ignorant, and deserving of the punishment.
Nakulong sila doon dahil sa kagaguhan nila.
Anna, #8 I perfectly understand your situation.Yesterday, I had to content with five hours of sleep before I leave for the wedding of Magdalo officer Art Pascua and Claude Ordonez.
Guess where the reception was?
Manila Pen Conservatory. The wedding was beautiful.I’ll (or Charmaine) make kwento more about it later. Pictures have been posted in our Facebook wall.
After the reception, I had to go to the nearest internet cafe to finish my column in Abante. My gad, I was so sleepy, I found myself asleep in the middle of a sentence.
Re # 11. Agree Cocoy. And it’s not just any crime. It’s drug trafficking!
Maybe they will argue that those Filipinos were just used or coerced into becoming mules. But it’s not right to abandon one’s principle for a noble cause for something condemnable.
Precisely,Cocoy! Magdusa sila because they chose to do drug trafficking in China. Why give special treatment to pinoys who give bad names to the country. If they can be helped, that’s good. But giving them a priority, that’s a misplaced compassion.
Hayaan na lang natin mabulok ang tumbog nila sa Chinese prison.
Iba naman ang pananaw ko doon sa nakulong na OFW sa middle east lalo na iyung mga DH. Siguro nagawa nilang patayin ang amo nilang sadista dahil sobra na ang pagmamaltrato sa kanila.
Iyung mga kasong iyun ang dapat ireview at bigyan ng priority hindi iyang mga drug traffickers na iyan.
Mahigpit dito ang drug trafficking walang lusot sa korte,kalaboso ang tuloy kapag nahulihan sila. Kahit na nga ilang piraso lang ng “Pain Killers” na nakita nila sa kotse kailangan may maipakita kang prescribtion galing sa doctor sa arresting traffic officer para ka pakawalan.
Marami ring gago ang nade-detain sa airport na galing ng Pinas kasi nahulihan sila ng “Tawas” akala ng custom ay cracked cocaine.Detained muna sila hangang de ma verified ang “Tawas”.Siyanga pala bawal ng dalhin dito ang mga Fake na Louis Vitton na nabibili sa Tiange ng mura.Kinukumpiska na nila at itinatapon sa basura.
Remember the Nicole rape case? And other crimes commited by foreign nationals? We want them to be put behind bars and if we still have the death penalty we would be happy to see those scoundrels put to death. So what’s so different with Pinoy’s convicted in other countries? Dapat nilang panagutan ang kanilang mga kasalanan.
#17
Ala na..History na si Nicole..Pinasakay lang niya si Gabriela sa drama niya.Nag pari na si Smith.
@Anna #3
If they (gov’t) handled the situation correctly, especially during and after the investigation, they wouldn’t have any problems now on how to appease the Chinese. Head held high and tell them on their faces:
“We will send a representative to Oslo Norway to witness the awarding of the Nobel Peace prize to your compatriot Mr. Liu Xiaobo. Congratulation and may Mr. Liu’s tribe multiply a million times in your country”. 😛
Nobel Prize winner is a joke for a long time.Has anyone explain why Obama won?
@Anna #6
I think the reason why many Chinese before fled China is because most of them were against the communist gov’t. So if ever there are Tsinoys whose loyalty are still with China, it’s loyalty is to their people, culture, heritage, etc.. and not to to communist regime.
People are leaving there country for so many reason. Walang pinag kaiba iyan sa hayop.Sa Damulag na lang kapag hindi itali kinabukasan di mo na makita dahil nawawala na.Doon ka na lang maghanap sa may malagong damo kung hindi ninakaw.Pero maamo pa rin sa may ari dahil siya ang bossing ng kalabaw.
Ganyan din ang tao nag-iimigrate di dahil sa sistema ng gobyerno kundi sa self survival,Kung saan sila may makain doon sila.Sige nga di mo pakakainin iyang anak mo at nandoon sila nagpapa-alila sa ibang tao na nagbibigay sa kanila ng pagkain.Wala silang pakialam kung anong klaseng gobyerno basta’t busog sila.
looks like the five pinoys (i.e. 4 female and 1 male) are drug mules nauto ng mga drug syndicates. Do we really want to condemn them because of a nobel peace prize? I thought our government is just assisting them in the hopes that these five will have a more lenient or reasonable sentence instead of a death sentence. I can agree with many here if the five are hardened drug traffickers but drug mules? I still think that our government needs to attend to these guys regardless of what the charges are, not to condone their action if true but to make sure they get every assistance they can get from their own government..just my two cents.
China exerting every effort to discredit one of their own they consider a dissident simply because he is a democracy advocate counter to their belief, to a point of coercing small countries like ours seems to be out of place. China sucks here in my view!
If only our country is ready to stand on its own di sana tayo naubliga ng ganito. No wonder pnoy is in a bind again. Pano naman yung mga ginawa nung mga nakaraang mga presidente dito sa atin, ay wala pala… nabawasan sana mga exported na mga pinoy kung ginawa nila obligasyon nila nuon tuloy naging drug mules ang iba..tsk tsk tsk
Until such time our country can stand on its own looks like we cannot avoid being a pawn between China and US. With Philippines not supporting the Nobel Peace prize for whatever reason to please china expect some words from uncle sam..may in the form of some canceled grants…hay buhay but then again either we play along or work hard to be as independent as we can be. Why not? we can!
They probably knew that what they’re bringing with them were drugs, mule or no mule. Nagahaman sila sa perang alok sa kanila. Heard in the news that one gets paid by the hundreds of thousand per kilo of drugs if nakalusot ang kontrabando sa piling destination.
“looks like the five pinoys (i.e. 4 female and 1 male) are drug mules nauto ng mga drug syndicates. Do we really want to condemn them because of a nobel peace prize?”-Olan
Hindi nga dapat pinagkunek yan eh. That’s what PNoy should have insisted to the Chinese.
We should not be trapped on this specific case. Policies should be laid down based on principles that we hold dearly. One of them is respect for human rights.
Pnoy is using the saving of the five Filipino convicted drug traffickers as protection of national interest. What about the interest of the rest of the Filipinos?
Si Marcos ipi na firing squad niya si Lim Seng dahil sa siya ay sindikato drugs,Isang Chinese National.Di nahinto at nadala ang mga sindikato ng drugs.
Itong mga nahulihan ng drugs ay alam nila ang ginagawa nila noong una pa man.Mga peste sa lipunan ang mga iyan na dapat puksain.
Kaya nga mules or no mules dapat lapatan ng nararapat na parusa kung gustong puksain iyang mga drug traffickers na iyan.Lalong lalakas ang loob ng iba dahil pala di sila pinababayan ng gonyerno kung mahuli sila at inilalabas sa kulungan.
Kung walang mules walang business iyang mga sindikato ng drugs at mag closed down na sila.
@cocoy
Nung pina tumba ni Marcos si Lim Seng thru firing squad, nanginig sa takot ang mga criminals. Tahimik nun at di masyadong nagaalala ang mga tao sa mga snatcher, holdap, kidnap, etc… meron pa rin pero di laganap di tulad mga panahon ngayon.
Too late the hero.
Kakalabas lang sa TV yung istorya nung isang drug courier na sa kagustuhang hanapin ang isang kapatid na nawawala, nag-undercover at nung matukoy na ginawang drug mule ang nawawala, nagplano siya para masalba yung kapatid na lalaki.
Tapang naman nung babaeng ito. Nadiskubre niya kung nasaan ang kapatid niya – nakakulong sa China – matapos mahuli. Ang kaibahan nila, itinimbre niya sa NBI yung mga sindikato kung saan at kailan gagawin ang delivery sa pag-asang gamiting leverage para mapalaya yung kapatid sa China.
Nahatulan na pala yung kapatid ng korte ng China ni hindi alam ng pamilya. Ano’ng ginagawa ng Phil Embassy sa China, nagkakamot ng bay…?
Nakakainis, tapos, yung prinsipyo ng isang bansa biglang isasanla dahil daw may matsutsuging mga Pinoy.
Kung yun ba namang may kaso pa lang tinulungan na nila, e di sana nagmukhang engot. Dinaig pa sila nitong babae, bukod sa nahanap yung kapatid, nabuwag pa ang isang sindikato.
Hindi ko pinipintasan yung effort ng gobyernong isalba ang mga Pinoy na nakakulong. Para sa akin, trabaho nilang iligtas ang lahat ng mamamayan – tama man o mali – pero por diyes por singko, dapat noon pang naghe-hearing sa korte! Ngayon makiki-salimpusa tayo sa isang isyung wala naman tayong kinalaman.
Sabi nga ni Jimmy Kimmel mukhang ito raw susunod na giyera lamang ang kaisa-isang nagmula sa isang Peace Prize.
While the choices of Nobel laureates have been laughable lately (think about Rabin/Arafat, Obama, and Al Gore/Pachauri), the one of Liu Xiaobo deserves our recognition. The least we can do to appreciate his work to witness his awarding.
And the fact that our President is being manipulated by outsiders for unscrupulous purpose is making my blood boil. At least the President has FINALLY demonstrated a principle: Classmates first before the country.
Hindi ko pinipintasan yung effort ng gobyernong isalba ang mga Pinoy na nakakulong. Para sa akin, trabaho nilang iligtas ang lahat ng mamamayan – tama man o mali – pero por diyes por singko, dapat noon pang naghe-hearing sa korte! Ngayon makiki-salimpusa tayo sa isang isyung wala naman tayong kinalaman. -Tongue #31
At tsaka, hiningi ba ng China na makisalamuha tayo o kusa lang ng Palasyo na handog sa Beijing ang isnabin si Nobel?
There is potentially another reason which this govt refused to reveal (and will never reveal) is that there is a strong China lobby (led by Chinese businessmen in the Philippines) in Manila that’s been tasked by perhaps China authorities to persuade Malacanang and that bonehead in the DFA to boycott the ceremony in Oslo. In other words, the govt is shitting the nation about and doing it so stupidly that it won’t be long before Aquino comes out publicly without his trousers because China and the Chinamen lobby in Manila have asked him to.- Anna #3
Beijing will sure to ask even for his brief if he continues to let them f^%$ him and does whatever Bert Romulo tells him.
Patay na nagkahitok hitok na ang gobyerno ni Pnoy…haissttt
Di ba tama ang sinabi ko sa kabilang isyu …. na ang nagpapatakbo sa ating Bansa ay yang mga tsekwa …. nagtataka pa ba kayo?
This is one of the things in the Aquino administration that irritates me — Clumsy excuses. We are treated as if we are little children.
I don’t believe you guys are willing to turn your backs on fellow filipinos who are going to lose their lives…
the nobel prize is just a symbol…the act of trying to save lives is more important…
how callous could you be? and what is your suggestion? slit the throats of the officials you desperately want to answer for the aug 23 incident? for what? blood was spilled by the obvious criminal, would you rather nobody responded so that no one can be blamed?
it was a hostage incident, at least some were saved…even if you play the hostage scenarion in “modern warfare 2” you can’t get it right on the first try, its either the hostage taker kills you, or he kills the hostages, or you kill one of the hostages…good thing you can play the scenario again…
China will be a major player in the the region in the months to come, even the europeans have substantial business presence there…whether we like it or not we will have to deal with them…and unless anyone of us would like to tell the powers that be that we can do a better job and step up, what do you suggest we do?
…of course if anyone of you wise guys will join the police train with the infamous swat, and show them how its done by actually trying to rescue a hostage (i hope it will be merceditas) and be successful at it – i will kiss your asses…
Jug:
Hahaha. Wag mo na pansinin. I don’t even think our presence in Oslo was missed by the organizers. The detractors will always find a way to nitpick. They should place themselves in the shoes of the relatives. Lest we don’t get the message, the government is not asking China to set free the death row inmates. We are asking for CLEMENCY. Awa, if you like. Hindi para palayain sila. Sabihin nating nagkamali sila. Tama lang na pagdusahan nila yun. Pero kung pwede lang naman sa pagkakakulong, bakit hindi? Parang Magdalo din yan. Maaaring tama yung causa mo, pero mali ang paraan na ginamit. Are we not happy that they will be amnestied? Mababawi ba ang award sa nanalo kung di tayo nakadalo? Ang limang buhay na posibleng maisalba ay di hamak na mas mahalaga doon. Kung kayo ang mga kamag-anak ng mga bibitayin, ano ang mararamdaman nyo? Think about that.
Di pakawalan na lang lahat ng mga nakakulong …. sigurado ko na nagawa nila yong kasalan dahil …. “Maaaring tama yung causa mo, pero mali ang paraan na ginamit” …. lol
Sabihin na lang natin na mali ang rason para iboykot ng Philippine government ang awarding ng Nobel peace prize dahil lang dito … mayroon pang mas malalaim na rason.
“I don’t believe you guys are willing to turn your backs on fellow filipinos …. jug” …….. sinong sinasabihan mo …. yang Gobyerno ni Penoy????? Dahil lang sa isang Bansa tinalikuran ng marami????
Di kaya?????
Henry, Jug,
I do believe that you’ve been taken in by this govt’s lie and have bought govt’s lie hook line and sinker… to be perfectly honest, the Nobel Peace Prize thinggy awarding it some China guy, to me is irrelevant… that is not the issue.
The main reason, this govt is saying, why they refused to attend the Oslo Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies is to save the lives of those 5 Filipinos from execution and to me that is one blatant, gross, unforgievable lie! And to say that saving the lives of those 5 Filipinos is in national interest is taking the Filipinos for a ride — this govt believes that Filipinos are all credulous.
It is contemptible of this govt to say anything and nothing to defend its spineless stand in the face of China buyllying! And to compound the lie with another lie, eg., linking the 2 Korea-issue to the non-attendance is absolutely mindboggling!
I agree with Tongue completely when he said “Hindi ko pinipintasan yung effort ng gobyernong isalba ang mga Pinoy na nakakulong. Para sa akin, trabaho nilang iligtas ang lahat ng mamamayan – tama man o mali” because the protection and the defence of this nation’s citizens wherever they are and whatever the circumstances is a moral contract between the two that this govt cannot waylay.
But that is not the point…this govt lied: that was not the main reason why they refused to attend the Oslo ceremonies.
Looking back, had this govt only acted responsibly and resolutely during the hostage fiasco, they needn’t have to go all through the incredible PR mumbo jumbo that they are doing now, i.e., bend over backward and be bumfucked by China. Admittedly, the hostage rescue operations fiasco is now water under the bridge now. However, it is not by committing one blunder after another that this govt can expect to gain respect from China. And both of you know it very well!
As to Jug’s comment about becoming part of the SWAT and show off what one could do is beyond the pale… You don’t need to be a member of the SWAT to know that when the lives of people are in danger, you expect those who are in charge to know what to do: SHOOT TO KILL the bleeding hostage taker after jsut a few hours of failed negotiations and not to let the fucking stand off last 12 hours and several deaths before taking aim.
To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable… — Theodore Roosevelt
Looking back, had this govt only acted responsibly and resolutely during the hostage fiasco, and if govt and the nation’s current leadership had only acted with great determination and wisdom after the fucking failed hostage operations happened, eg., got those frigging idiot heads responsible for the fiasco to roll while drums beat, they needn’t have to go all through the incredible PR mumbo jumbo and idiotic foreign affairs gymnastics that they are doing now.
Mahirap talaga ang maging Pangulo ng isang Bansa na limitado ang alam tapos mga bugok pa ang mga advisers. Kaya tiis na lang talaga hanggang 2016 … kung ang ating Watawat ay nakawagayway pa …. baka napalitan na ng Chinese flag.
The president shouldnt be explaining all his decisions in public. So what if we dont attend the Nobel awards. Who cares? What if China decides to execute the drug traffickers anyway, now what? More mud pie for the country?
There are more Chinese in the country than there are Filipinos in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong etc. They are angry because Filipinos are working there? WTF! There are many Chinese drug trafickers here too. If they execute, we should execute also.
Ellen,
Talaga? Hahahaha! Hope they gave him a huge discount. Kudos to the newly weds and the very best wishes!!! Looking forward to seeing the wedding pics.
Hahahah… Grabe! Fell asleep in the middle of a sentence? Gosh, grabe ang pagod mo! Take it easy.
(Had people at lunch today and guess what, I was so exhausted because had very little sleep I put salt on my raspberry tart thinking it was sugar before putting it in the oven — good thing, my husband noticed the jar of salt lying open beside the oven dish and immediately suspected what I’d done. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Had to throw away the tart and good thing I had apples around so made an insipid apple crumble instead!) 🙁 🙁 🙁
No doubt about it — you’re spot on Mike!
Mike, to me there is just a very very thin line separating loyalty to people, culture, heritage and loyalty to country per se… and while it is true that their loyalty may not be exactly to the Chinese authorities in Beijing, the question remains, which country do they pledge loyalty and patriotic allegiance to? To China or to the Philippines? (which was the essence of my earlier question.)
Anna:
I also don’t give a hoot about what other people may think about the fiasco. All I am saying is look at the whole thing dispassionately. His critics can lambast Aquino all they want in this blog, they’ve been at it ever since by the way, and I’ll be the very first one to defend their right to do so. Having said that, how it is different then from the case of the soon to be freed Morong 43? Here we are praising to high heavens the unseen gods for their release, never mind if many, not all of them, are really members of the Old People’s Army. The invocation of the protection of the human rights of these victims was made the be all, end all of their bone of contention for release.
Now, let us compare their case with that of the dead men walking in China. The Morong 43 are being held in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig. Their relatives and lawyers are free to see them anytime. Contrast them with the 5 condemned men in China. Was there even a semblance of trial over there? Were they given counsels of their own choice? Dito hindi pa nga nalilitis ang kaso ng Morong 43, sumisigaw na sila ng human rights. What about the 5? What if they are 20, 30 or 43 of them also in death row there? Let’s say they’re guilty for the sake of argument. Do you think that we will not cry bloody foul if that number will be executed? Where is fairness and our sense of justice? Even if they’re criminals, they have human rights too. This is what we always shout in this blog. Kahit NPA pa yang mga Morong 43, because they were wrongfully arrested, the government is granting their release, acknowledging that their rights were violated. Ang hinihingi lang ng gobyerno natin sa China ay clemency, awa, na huwag naman sana silang patayin. Si Lu na nanalo nang Nobel Peace Prize ay napakaswerte. Wala man siya doon sa Oslo, nakatatak na sa trophy ang pangalan niya. At buhay pa siya. China won’t be able to do anything about that anymore. Ang lima nating kababayan ay nasa bingit ng kamatayan. And China can change all that.
The irony of it all, the government is being crucified for not attending the awarding ceremony recognizing the triumph of human rights but what can be more symbolical than fighting for the right to live, the most important of all the human rights, of these five condemned countrymen of ours. This is what matters. Charity begins at home nga eh. Attendance in Oslo is just paying lip service to human rights in solidarity with the activists. Here, we have a chance to practice what others just love to preach. For once, magpakatotoo naman sana tayo.
But Henry, we are talking at cross-purposes here.
Your point is that you believe this govt’s main reason for boycotting the Oslo ceremonies because this govt wanted to save the lives of the 5 dead men walking in China. Allow me to remind you of what I said earlier (something over which I agree entirely with Tongue): I think it is the duty of this govt to do everything in its power to save the lives of those people, whether they were innocent or convicted of drug traffickers BUT my point (if you read my entries before they ended at 05h00) is that I don’t buy govt alibi or main reaon for boycotting Oslo is to save those lives! I think that was an afterthought — meant to pull the wool over our eyes. And that is wrong!!!
The real reason is to appease China over the bumbling idiotic way this govt handled the hostage fiasco on 23 August, so for this govt to trumpet those dead Pinoys walking in China, and to compound that lie with other lies, is simply gross. And to claim that it is in our national interest to do it is absolute bugger all alibi. I don’t believe that govt should trumpet lies after lies and compound other lies, bandying “national interest” clumsily along the way… just doesn’t hold water.
As to the Morong 43, if govt prosecutors botched the case then it’s only fair that they should be released and absolutely grand of the president to do it. (That’s why, I made virtually made no commentary about this.)
Henry, I think I’m one of the few people here who have held his/her tongue in criticism of the president when I think he did something in good faith even if he failed…As my many posts show, I’ve been critical of the men/his advisers, etc., around him, but always preferring to hold my harshest criticisms and overall, my fire when it comes to his person but truly, it is difficult to maintain that position when the president himself is allowing those around him to screw him without without restraint.
(Remember our a discussion in this blog about Erap who preferred to surrender Malacanang rather than fight it out and so in the final analysis, I didn’t believe he was worthy of re-election? Same principle holds, Henry, same principle!!!)
Anna:
I think you’re missing my point here. I dont care if what the govt is doing is appeasement to the Chinese because of the botched Aug 23 incident. Would u rather have it that the gov’t wont do anything to stay the execution of the five and risk the ire of our countrymen? Remember Flor Contemplacion? Pag pinabayaan nating bitayin ang limang yan, can u blame other people from thinking na pinabayaan ng gobyerno para tablahin na lang ang pagkamatay ng mga HK tourists dito sa atin? As I’ve said, Liu is lucky. He has so many supporters in the international community. How about the 5? Must we always ascribe malice to what our government is doing for its citizens? And beggars can’t be choosers either. Kahit maglumuhod pa si Aquino para ihingi ng tawad ang lima, my admiration for him will not diminish. Kesehodang sabihin pa ng iba na bumabawi tayo dahil sa kapalpakan noong Aug 23. So what? At least, yung Pangulo ko, marunong magpakumbaba at umamin na nagkamali. Di magnanakaw at di kurakot. Si GMA? A ewan. Lahat ng mga tao noon sobrang galing. Walang mga mali ang paggawa ng EO. Kaya hayun, magagaling magtago ng baho at mga ksinungalingan. 😛
If I can make sabat here..agree with Henry as well as Anna.
but, in my opinion, I don’t think pnoy is that stupid to bungle this issue again. In pnoy’s perspective, if I can guess, I don’t think this is about the 5 mules, the august 23 incident, or the nobel peace prize in a larger context.
Jalandoni is back, China is funding the NPA (OPA as Henry calls them), etc…I just hope it’s about having concessions to conclude the war and making peace with our fellow red based on concessions that we can accept. If it is, I’ll rather see our government turn down hundreds of nobel peace prize invitations so long we pinoys don’t have to fight our fellow pinoys again..proxy war between US and China is very costly for us. China leaving us alone the way we want our country to be and a party with them as trading partners is a better choice.
Angering China is not about sending a million of troops in our country but worst. It’s more on using the NPA by providing them with more funding, logistics, and support, occupying kalayaan, and cancellation of economic concessions. Imagine a well funded NPA fighting our military and us as a whole with our economy in disarray..tayo naman divided in this fight because of the many corrupt personalities leading us. Bad trip talaga! God forbid, Tedanz maybe right…flag of china via NPA instead of ours!
Kesehodang sabihin pa ng iba na bumabawi tayo dahil sa kapalpakan noong Aug 23. So what? At least, yung Pangulo ko, marunong magpakumbaba at umamin na nagkamali. Di magnanakaw at di kurakot. Si GMA? A ewan. Lahat ng mga tao noon sobrang galing. Walang mga mali ang paggawa ng EO. Kaya hayun, magagaling magtago ng baho at mga ksinungalingan. 😛 – henry
agree!
Henry,
Alright so you’ve made your point — what you are saying is, and correct me if I’m wrong, is that i’s alright for this leadership to continue to bungle things provided they appease the Chinese in the hope that the 5 dead Pinoys walking’s execution is stayed (which does not guarantee their lives being saved)?
And no, I heard of the Singapore execution just vaguely but if I remember rightly Romulo (the other one) was taken to the gallows which is the exact opposite of what happened or has not happened where this govt is concerned, i.e., no one was was taken to the gallows for the death of 5 innocent tourists.
Now, am not sure how this country will get out of the rut if one error is compounded by another…And I don’t exactly see how the lives of those 5 will be saved but certainly continuing to compound the lies and the incompetence does not guarantee them their life.
It’s the same old Erap leadership benchmark all over again…
And Henry, I got your most important point, in essence, come what may:
At least you’ve made a stand…
This quote by Teddy Roosevelt comes to mind:
To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable…
Sigh…
Olan,
I hope so because what the president is saying doesn’t make sense.
If what you said in the rest of your post is the status today in Pinas, then, fine but he need not device bogus alibis and absurd raison d’état thinggy because they only make him appear incompetent and not in control.
Anna:
I will always value your opinion in the same way I value the opinion of others here. Suffice it to say that we only differ in deciphering the political undertones of the chess moves PNoy is doing. But I don’t believe he’s lying when he said that. Remember that from a simple hostage-taking incident, the Aug 23 ‘fiasco’ became an international embarassment for us. It’s a very difficult balancing act that we have to do now especially so that China holds the life of 5 Pinoys in their hands. If the government will not do anything to, at least get a reprieve or stay of execution, oh, the critics will again have another field day dissecting that one.
It is to our ‘national interest’ that we play this one right. Liu can stew. He doesn’t lack for symphatizers. And by the way, my admiration for the guy is not encompassing. If he screws up, he will hear from me from time to time. And it will not be nice, I tell you. 😛
Henry,
I’m not entirely convinced that he is effective at doing basic moves in political chess. But am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Unlike you am not beholden to Aquino and so will have no qualms watching him with a hawk eye but rest assured I am not one of those who ascribe “malice” to his every move.
One thing is sure, that in this benighted land of ours and elsewhere, Mr Aquino man does not have the monopoly of goodness or patriotism, i.e., the interest of the well-being of the Philippines and the nation (Pinoys) at heart. 😉
Can’t help but admire one little country of only 8 million people. A little David surrounded by several Goliaths but standing their ground all through these years.
Israel, you got balls.
Ahh..but then you’ve got a very Big Brother backing you up.
Phil, and more than 2 billion dollars in financial funding!
I got reliable information that last October, in a talk of DFA officers with the Chinese embassy people here, they were told that there’s a possibility that one (a female) could be commuted to life sentence but it’s difficult for the three because they are hardcore drug traffickers.
I don’t know why we are staking the country’s integrity for drug traffickers even if they are Filipinos.
we can insult the president all we want…but for me, when it comes to dealing with other countries we must always show a united front…we don’t need peple who will step out and say its not me, its my president, sila kasi mga bugok!
then again, you just try, and you’ll see how few you really are…
KBO…whether its keep bungling on, or keep buggering on…we have people who are at the helm, they stumble, they make mistakes (?), they get ridiculed, laughed at, insulted, etc, etc, but they have to keep forging on…and i applaud them for it…thats what leaders do – make decisions…some of them not popular but nevertheless they have to…and for the things that we cannot change – deal with it, survive, and move on with our lives…of course, maybe we should also abide by the high standards we have for others?
we don’t have a perfect government, we have a less than perfect president…probably way below the standards of intelligence when compared to gloria as she was never branded bobo…so we rant and rave…why can’t we just give him a reprieve just for the season…as a christmas gift lets just pretend that we trust him, that he has the collective will of the people, and will put the welfare of the country first…and be happy even for just a brief moment? lets all pretend to have a blessed, merry christmas! if not for us, for the children…lets just tone down the anti government ante for a short while and pretend we still have some things to be grateful about? lets pretend we are thankful for the small (or big) blessings we are having…please, do try…
Olan,
Incidentally, just read a few reports about Louie Jalandoni’s visit in RP and the safe conduct pass accorded to him and his wife, former nun Connie Ledesma. Thanks for raising that bit of info.
I think the prospect of govt finally concluding a peace arrangement with the CPP and their armed wing, the NPA is a good thing — am all for it. The prospect that one of this nation’s parallel armies will lay down their weapons is definitely a good idea. I’m optimistic but am also a realist, i.e., the NDF which is the representative of the CPP and the NPA in the peace talks will not be making life for govt easy.
Joma Sison and Louie Jalandoni are foxy and hardened warriors. They have nothing to gain or to lose (the latter, perhaps, is the more apt verbial descriptionn of their current position).
Both are enjoying bourgeois status. Joma’s family in Utrecht are all Dutch citizens now and by extension can ensure their Joma’s status as a well-oiled and heeled “political refugee.” His children were raised in then Red China during Joma’s incarceration.
Louie Jalandoni and his wife are both Dutch citizens and are therefore might be “legally untouchable” in the Philippines (although am not sure if the Philippines recognizes their foreign citizenship which makes me wonder if they use their Philippine passport to enter RP) because the Dutch would always come to their “rescue” if ever he is held back.
Jug,
Your plea for elements at Ellenville (including me) to give Aquino a reprieve is well taken.
Please remember that the ranting and raving against him and all the unpleasant things that come his way coming from many of the residents here are par for the course. It is also only human, imperfect as humans are, to get back at their leaders when results of their leaders’ decision are sub-standard and you too must accept that.
Aquino sought the most difficult job in the country and got it — he needs to show that he is worthy of the job. And I’m sure he knew the risks he would be facing as he worked extremely hard to land the job, eg., he could expect no quarter from many quarters.
And some might even remind him of the terrible saying: “Don’t do the crime if you cannot do the time!”
Estrada got no reprieve from his detractors (you includeded) who accused him of the same thing many are accusing Aquino today, i.e., sub-standard intelligence and a bit of do-lally approach to things major, so Aquino, in my view, should feel extremely lucky that he is getting a reprieve and the benefit of the doubt.
Agree!
Sad that when Estrada was facing the onslaught from foreign countries and foreign media accusing him of pocketing the ransom money (which he did not) and by extension, the country being rubbished as the kidnap capital of the world during the Sipadan hostage crisis, this saying did not apply. Instead media organisations in RP and the civil society went along with his foreign detractors even if it meant rubbishing the nation in the process.
Ellen,
Simple sailor like me believes the way in which the saving the lives of these 5 Pinoys was undertaken clumsily. I don’t think staking the country’s integrity need to have come into the equation in the first place. But perhaps, as Jug pointed out, our leaders know best and we the little people should just shut up.
Btw, Ellen, I am a bit puzzled too…
The president said,
And according to Malaya of DFA:
So why then did this govt, no less than Aquino himself, feel the need to trumpet what they were doing if it was imperative that the dealing to save the lives of the 5 Pinoys had to remain low key, i.e., practically hush-hush? Isn’t that being rather inconsistent and wouldn’t it attract more controversy which, by extension, could jeopardise what they claim to be “in the nation’s interest”?
The mind boggles…
AnnaDeBrux – December 13, 2010 10:30 am
I am sure they will be but then again for the sake of lasting peace, I am glad President Aquino is trying. In my mind, there is no document or peace treaty that can guarantee anything unless both sides take it to heart and live by it. It may be a simple “trust” and “sincerity”, Filipino to Filipino, but I still think it is doable so long our government and the people behind it do a lot more than what they have done before same is true with the other party. In my mind, the key here is our Judiciary. We need an impartial justice system in the truest form, independent as they can be. Its is very hard for an individual much more a group of people being subjected to the laws of the land and governed by a government that don’t have a working impartial justice system in a very sincere way. The conflict is not just a petty political wrangling but also an armed one and it is real. If there is credibility in our Judiciary, the more we can establish trust and respect, the better we can pursue peace and order, the more people will embrace rule of law than rebel…
http://rp1.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/12/06/10/distrust-biggest-stumbling-block-ph-ndf-peace-talks
@olan – December 13, 2010 2:30 pm — re your post:
Very well said!!!
and I agree!
Incidentally, Ellen…
Hostage taking situation in Besançon, France: kindergarten kids taken hostage by an armed young man. 14 kids already released.
If there’s one that’s got to be hurt, it will be the hostage taker. The GIGN are already taking aim as we speak ready to shoot the killer to either maim or kill him but there will be no dilly-dallying like Philippine DILG officials and expert police operators did in Luneta (and guaranteed those in charge won’t be having a good time dining in an air-conditionned restaurant while the hostages await their fate.)
A fellow facebooker who’s I think RP-based posted:
Journalist Alan Robles annotates in my FB page:
Hostage taking situation in Besançon, France: All hostages released — hostage taker arrested after 3 hours of stand-off. No one was hurt.
http://www.francesoir.fr/besancon-tous-les-otages-ont-ete-liberes-le-forcene-interpelle
#70 Anna. So why then did this govt, no less than Aquino himself, feel the need to trumpet what they were doing if it was imperative that the dealing to save the lives of the 5 Pinoys had to remain low key, i.e., practically hush-hush? Isn’t that being rather inconsistent and wouldn’t it attract more controversy which, by extension, could jeopardise what they claim to be “in the nation’s interest”?
Propaganda so the Chinese would know Pinas is on its side re Nobel Please Prize. The height of kasipsipan in trying to mend PNoy’s own doing of a broken relationship with Beijing.
If the intention was truly to save the life of the five pinoys convicted of drug trafficking in China, PNoy should not even telegraph to the public this kind of sensitive move he’s doing for them. Let the media and public guess. Nagbigay pa ng presscon e! Ayan, the fault of media again eventually if he failed (in another rescue efforts).
I wish he succeeded in pleasing Beijing so that death sentence to the five found guilty of the crime could be commuted to life, and to save his own image. (Life sentence in a Chinese prison? I could just imagine, mas mabuti pa yata ang death).
Chi,
Thnx for the input — and yep, I see the point.
What I can’t quite fathom is the govt mantra that saving the lives of these poor five sods is “in national interest”. Without minimising the importance of the lives of these five Pinoys, I personally don’t see why “in national interest”?
Wouldn’t it have been more apt, by extension, more acceptable, more intelligent and more responsible to say quite honestly and directly — if govt needed to give a reason for bending over backward to China, that the whole exercise was in the interest of saving the lives of these Pinoys? Nothing wrong with that. (Would have been as dramatic too if drama was what they were after.)
But to go about plucking the national interest tenet (a very very important tenet that should not be bandied about without proper reflection)from God knows where boggles the mind! OK, maybe, some quarters here are right — we must be getting the desired effect from the Chinese who must be scratching their heads in bewlidered wondermen… 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
wonderment
Talagang walang konek, Anna. 🙂
I find PNoy’s reason a dishonest one. Yeah, I agree, pati China nagkakamot ng ulo in “wonderment”. hehehe….
Sigh…