Let me tell you a learning experience I had last night:
Every now and then, Fe Zamora of the Inquirer and Gay Jarque, widow of the late Rene Jarque (a truly admirable officer), would get together for dinner. Last Friday,it was Fe who chose the place. She said Mikey’s Bar and Grill along Diosdado Macapagal Avenue.
Mikey is a common name and I didn’t attach it to one of Malacañang’s illegal occupants until I entered the restaurant and saw Mikey Arroyo holding court in one of the tables.
Look at what they do to military officers who stand for truth and justice:
By Anthony Vargas, Manila Times
THE wives of two mutinous Army officers on Thursday claimed their husbands were being “tortured” while under isolation conditions in a maximum-security area in the Army’s Fort Bonifacio headquarters.
Update:Military denies torture. Click here.
Wilma Baldonado and Venus Sarmiento said they have seen their spouses handcuffed and blindfolded during their weekly visits.
As usual, Gloria Arroyo was lying when she said the decision to spring convicted American serviceman Daniel Smith from the Makati jail midnight of Dec. 29 was ” taken with only the best interests of the Philippines in mind.”
The truth is that it was taken with only her political survival in mind.
She will do anything, even sell the country down the river, to get the support of George Bush to her shaky presidency.
Ang isyu na ngayon ay hindi lamang rape ng Amerikanong si Lance Corporal Daniel Smith sa 23-taong gulang na Pilipina na alam sa media sa pangalang “Nicole”.
Ito ay nagiging isyu na ng paggalang sa batas at pagpahalaga ng “sovereignty” o kataas-taasang kapangyarihan ng Pilipinas sa sarili niyang teritoryo.
Ito ay isyu na ng integridad.
Ito ay isyu ng obligasyon ng isang lider ng Pilipinas na pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino.
Lawyer Harry Roque today got several text messages and a phone call threatening him and his family harm unless he stops lawyering for “destabilizers”.
One message gave a prize of P5 million for his head and gave a number to contact. We called up the number and it turned out to be the Public Affairs of the Philippine Army.
The first message which came at about 1 p.m. said “Dura lex sed lex. Our law maybe harsh bt it’s still our law. Not all the time u are lucky, ur end is near and ur family.”
Faithful to the scenario written by Malacañang (see preceding post), the Court of Appeals today considered the issue on Daniel Smith’s detention at the Makati City jail “moot”.
Malaya’s updated report:
CA trashes Smith petition, but bows to Palace stand
Upholds judge on detention in Makati
By Evangeline de Vera
THE Court of Appeals yesterday dismissed the petition of convicted rapist Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith to be transferred to the custody of the United States, but the court deemed the matter mooted because Philippine officials have already turned Smith over to the US Embassy.
In mooting Smith’s petition, the CA Special 16th Division took cognizance of the “imperious” intervention of the Office of the Solicitor General on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
We have it from good sources that Malacañang denizens are congratulating themselves for the successful midnight transfer of Lance Corporal Daniel Smith from the Makati City Jail to the US Embassy despite pending appeal on the custody of the American serviceman convicted of raping a 23-year old Filipina in Subic in Nov. 2005.
With Smith now in American custody, Malacañang believes the Court of Appeals will decide that the main petition of Smith’s lawyer on the custody “is moot and academic.”
“The momentum is now in our favor,” a source from the executive department said adding that “national interest has been served.”
I wish to appeal for understanding from the people that this action will not affect the substantive issues at bar, nor impede justice and the rule of law.
The government had to take this action in order to forestall the further deterioration in our strategic relationship with the United States, which was being rapidly eroded by our non-compliance with the Visiting Forces Agreement.
Evalyn Ursua filed contempt charges against those involved in spiriting Daniel Smith out of Makati City Jail and bringing him to the US Embassy.
The U.S. couldn’t wait to reward Gloria Arroyo for putting American interests over that of her countrymen, they immediately announced that the Balikatan exercises in February will push through. Click here.
Malaya’s update on Smith custody:
Advisers of Sen. Panfilo Lacson have been telling him not to pursue his mayoralty plans because of questions of residency. Although he had registered in Manila as voter and has bought a house there, there are questions of actual residency. There have been legal jurisprudence that could be cited against him. Even if he won, the risk of disqualification is high.
This now paves the way for Sen. Alfredo Lim’s return to Manila as mayor.
Here’s the report of TJ Burgonio in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
MANILA — Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is seeking reelection after all. Because of a possible disqualification over questions about his residency, the opposition senator has abandoned his much-talked about plan to run for mayor of Manila in next May’s elections.