But bombing in peacetime?

I have always been suspicious to bomb explosions and its scare tactics. While I believed that there are such things as terrorism and prank calls, at times, categorically, those were not enough to point out the possible causes. The hidden one. Strange but let me just call it the Politically Motivated Chaos.

Sometime in Oct 2007, it was morning when I saw on TV a handful of bishops calling for Ginang Arroyo to step down from office. I thought it was going to be the biggest evening news to await for. Why? Imagine how it was like that time. It was at the height of leadership crises: such as administrative scandals, move for charter change issues, impeachment complaints. Then came the real big surprise in the afternoon when explosion occurred in the business district of Glorietta. At least 11 innocent lives were wasted and a hundred injured. Then criss-crossing finger pointing followed. As though, you are asked online to make your own option/s: ASG, moro rebels, NPA, military. Cocktales of motivations abound. And experts findings varied: Group of investigators contracted by Ayala’s dismissed planted bomb as the cause. Meanwhile, government authorities sees other reason –LPG stocks.

Just this week, after 3 years, a Lt. Colonel, one of those who investigated the event came out desperately, said that it was GMA who dictated to his superiors to change their findings. It all happened during the exclusive meeting, which GMA apparently called upon. It turned out to be not a bomb explosion but a mere unattended kitchen equipment –LPG bursting. True or not, the current Department of Justice Sec De Lima, yesterday reported, showed her interest to probe anew the case should Pnoy give her a go signal. That same day headlines: Pnoy forms panel to talk with Reds.

But it seems that peace and truth-seeking paradigm are not without sabotage challenges.

In fact a day after, today, a bomb exploded inside the Rural Transit bus in Matalam, North Cotabato, Mindanao. Killed 9 and hospitalized more. More of today, an employee of the Philippine Stock Exchange received an anonymous call that there was a bomb within the exchange’s premises, prompting officials to order the trading halt. Despite this event, the exchange posted more gainers than losers in closing. It was nonetheless an act of putting brake to an economy that is recovering.

Could this be another politically-motivated chaos? Who is behind which crime? Who rides what? Who stands to gain? Or just a pure coincidence!

Hugging may mean —what you least expected

A husband, fresh from hearing a mass, came home hugging his wife. A second later, the astounded wife asked his husband, “why only now sweetheart, are you sick or what?” He said, “Sweetie, this morning I heard the priest saying, ‘If you want to follow Christ you have to carry and embrace your cross.” And so that was just what I did. The wife in return, sensing the gospel truth, gave her endless hugs and kisses to his husband.

Contemplating your kind of spouse

by Sir Winston (Leonard Spencer) Churchill, Attributed
Lady Astor: If I were your wife, I should flavour your coffee with poison!
Sir Winston: And if I were your husband, madam, I should drink it.

Choosing who to marry

by Thomas Moore, A Joke Versified
“It is time you should think, boy, of taking a wife –”
“Why, so it is, father —whose wife shall I take?”

Why men are awake at night

by Thomas Moore, Irish Melodies: The Young May Moon
Then awake! —the heavens look bright, my dear,
“Tis never too late for delight, my dear,
And the best of all ways
To lengthen our days,
Is to steal a few hours from the night, my dear!

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

As a Filipino, it is with pride and confidence amid uncertainties to receive yesterday’s Presidential and Vice Presidential proclamation. The Philippines will soon be led by two known sworn oppositionists under the GMA’s administration –President-Elect Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino and VP-elect Jejomar Binay.

But let me delve this topic alone to Noynoy.

Last election I was one of those who firmly believed that Noynoy has the commanding qualifications to take the presidency.  I set the following virtues as “firsts among others”: honesty, incorruptibility, and willpower.

To me, the wisdom to CHANGE the direction of this country must start from those virtues well acted by the leadership, the bureaucracy, and the public. Obviously, as a leadership-centered constitutionally designed political system, we need to have a good president and equally good cabinet members to lead us to prosperity. To complete, I am expecting for a participative legislature and a watchful justice system.

Honesty is what Noynoy is made of. His onion-skinned reaction to issues was just natural for someone not accustomed to mudslinging. This was interpreted last campaign as “pikon” –afraid to have the likes of GMA. Or tactlessness, also negatively passed around and attached to her sister Kris Aquino. But what I see in them is their father –the extr0verted frank-talking Ninoy, who, in his time, was unafraid to challenge the Marcos dictatorship, and unmindful of possible consequences. For as long as Noynoy speaks of truth, then we can expect him to champion an honest and transparent government.

The Batman’s latest “The Dark Knight” episode has portrayed the story fought between villains and good guys. But it turned out that one of these good guys became the villain himself. Nonetheless, it was a good movie showcasing the triumph of “incorruptibles”. The way people standing by their purpose without fading. I’m talking about this to emphasize that for this government to uproot corruption, red tapes, and bribery it should be ready to take these issues into a sustained advocacy, not like a depleting resources. Something to swear your life and prove to people around you. Noynoy has so far has a clean record in his entire public service. Probably, he has met offers in the past but records showed he is clean. This simply means he has evaded those tendencies, one way or another. To this I hope that he sticks to the record and will do the same in his administration. Thus, save ourselves from shame and save billions of people’s money –the 40 to 60% of national budget stolen annually.

Willpower, otherwise called as political will, or I must say the ability to do (at will) what needs to be done and justly effecting it to the best interest of filipinoes. This country has been tagged as home to one of the best skilled workers in the world, once the Pearl of the Orient, english-speaking asian, catholic-dominated, but could not get development done. Not far from us is Singapore. It’s a  budding small country despite from being historically kicked out from Malaysian territories. They had Lee Kuan Yew, the determined leader, who turned Singapore from nothingness to economic prowess. The self-styled Lee was the leader of willpower.

Noynoy’s willpower however, has yet to be tested. His campaign statements “Hindi Ako Magnanakaw” and “Daang Matuwid” were oozing with so much determination for change. Talks are talks and it’s high time to walk the talk.  The real passing test is: how he  intend to deal with the Dona Luisita land, which he promised to distribute.

Those virtues were only recipes apart from other recipes in governance. Because the reality is…the new president is confronted  also with problems from within. Talks have it that his team or teams were strife by factions. There is Noybi, NoyMar, Chiz team, Kamag-anak Inc., Civil Societies, and others. It is thus interesting to see how things will unfold with him presiding. I’l be revisiting this situation after 150 days, which I believe the time is fitting to assess the new aadministration.

Party list system is the most misunderstood in the country’s political and electoral concept. Since the voting procedure is done by selecting a party, many are in quandary of casting their votes to a faceless system. It is because we have been used to voting personalities and less we care about political groups/institutions consistent with their visions.

Comelec, too, is not immune of this error. Then a David Wurfel wrote about the 1998 party list election, “Confusion about the law within  COMELEC  was  even  admitted  by Augusto Toledo, the head of the education and information department of the Commission. He said that he and other COMELEC officials do not completely understand the party-list system.” Now after 12 years, current Comelec Chair Melo, once in a tv interview, said that still they don’t clearly understand the rules governing the party-list elections as to who really are the marginalized sectors and who should represent them. His disbelief to the system was even made clearer by citing a hypothetical example: what if the party belongs to the trisikad drivers!

This January’s Pulse Asia survey conducted showed that nearly seven out of ten Filipinos remain unaware of the partylist representation in government. Those longtime partylist participants knew very well the lack of Commission’s action to promote and advocate the existence of the system in favor of the marginalized sectors.

As of today, Mikey Arroyo is again on the spot as the poster boy of the diluted system. His partylist group, the Security guard’s Ang Galing Pinoy, of which Mikey is the number one nominee in question, won the recent 2010 election. People may vary in views as to who really delivered the winning -depending on who’s looking at it, but nobody can deny that the party lends credit to Mikey’s influence, machineries, and perhaps, resources last election.

Comelec’s move now is to proclaim the group, setting aside the first nominee pending resolution to his questionable personality.

Fact is, whoever represents the party to the Lower House, it means another vote for Ginang Arroyo to speakership. This despite what her partymates are saying that the lady is not keen on becoming one.

Ask me what do they have in common? These guys can make mockery and jokes out of the partylist system while advocates are seriously taking it to replace the olden, antiquated, clannish, dynastic and personality-based politics.

And yet news reports backgrounding this event are telling us otherwise. This week alone, as the political scene is heating up, rumors about rigging or no- election scenarios are openly disseminated even by Norberto Gonzales –the security adviser.  The military for their part, hear a mass to solemnize their assurance that they will not follow any illegal orders during this election. While escapo Capt. Faeldon  exposed that a faction in the military is willing to join a movement to oppose the failure of elections especially if it is intended to extend the term of GMA.

These rumors upset the leading candidate, Noynoy Aquino, hinting for another EDSA just in case these rumors are true. (The closing survey, conducted April end, by Social Weather Station showed that NoyNoy is ahead of 19% to second placer Villar -a secure post.) Media asked Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales how he feels about this another EDSA possibility, the highness put down the idea and told mediamen to just have faith in the election machines.

A day after this faith thing, of all instances, these rumors were proven as non-trivial as coordinated testings of PCOS machines failed  alarming local and national candidates. Apparently, the machines misread tallies and did not count the vote of local candidates. Much to this bogged down is the rising suspicion confirming rumors’ possibility.

Naturally, the public eye is on Comelec. Who can forget Garci and his famous line, Hellooo Maamh? Is the electronic-Garci imminent?  Is Comelec a party to No-el rumor? To save the sanctity of the institution, Comelec questions Smartmatic. While the contracting company owes its honest mistake –with no one else to pass the blame, they made the ballot the culprit. Citing that the program installed to the PCOS  flash cards was not formatted according to the printed ballot. Smartmatic announced that they recalled all the 70 thousand flash cards  and promised to return them within the  next 72 hours. On marathon.

The net effects of this initial technical glitch are now apparent in different proposals. Presidential candidates are divided with Delos Reyes, Villanueva and Perlas want to give more time (delay) for the election. Noynoy and Gibo, on the other hand, are wanting to push through the election as scheduled.

There’s a new travel advisory released as of today for all men and women in tattoos: BEWARE OF WALKING DOWN THE STREETS AND CROSSING PATH WITH ART COLLECTORS; you may be killed for artsake.

France votes to return Maori heads to New Zealand, by BBC News

Maori heads were often tattooed as a sign of courage and strength

The French parliament has voted to return the mummified heads of at least 15 Maori warriors to New Zealand.

The heads, taken by European explorers in the 18th and 19th centuries, are currently on display in several museums in France.

The decision ends years of debate and is part of a wider discussion in the US and Europe on the restitution of artefacts taken against local custom.

The Maoris believed the preservation of the heads kept their spirits alive.

But they became exotic collector items in Europe in the 19th century, with museum officials saying some men may have been killed for their tattoos.

MPs in France almost unanimously backed the bill to return the tattooed heads, some still with bits of hair and teeth attached, back to their home country.

‘Put to rest’

It is the first time that French legislation has allowed an entire division of museum artefacts to be returned. There are some things that are above art and which should remain sacred
Catherine Morin-Desailly, French MP

Catherine Morin-Desailly, the MP who proposed the bill, said it showed France’s commitment to human rights.

“There are some things which are above art and which should remain sacred,” she told Associated Press.

New Zealand first requested their return in the 1980s but the issue became more prominent in France in 2007 after a city council voted for one head to be sent back. The decision was later overturned by the French Ministry of Culture, which ruled such a decision could not be taken at local level.

Critics had voiced concerns it might set a new precedent, putting other collections at risk.

Pita Sharples, the New Zealand minister for culture and Maori affairs, said the decision was a “matter of great significance”.

“Maori believe that, through their ancestors’ return to their original homeland, their dignity is restored, and they can be put to rest in a peace among their families,” she said.

The heads will be sent to the Te Papa museum in the New Zealand capital, Wellington, and then returned to tribal groups to be buried.

However, that is not always the case. Call it rare, or perhaps the only time you have heard of such -a father versus daughter in mayoralty fight.

In what could be a local political dynasty in the making, politics takes to a new route by chance in Pampanga’s Mabalacat town. Not because a family has dominated the concentration of power to one side but as opposing sides with each is willing to eliminate the other.

The father Morales is the incumbent Mayor since 2007. He runs under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD. The daughter who is Marjorie Morales-Sambo belongs to the National Party slate and has guested the another mayoralty seeker from the past elections , Dee, who slide to run for Vice Mayor under the Liberal Party. It is said that the daughter is running to see changes in local governance.

What I am seeing instead is that politics in some local areas will become more of an exclusive family affair, next to family reunions. Of course, the affair would still be filled in with guests and invites. As it progresses with time, political families present a new form of configuration from their own creativity and styles. Perhaps, even more sophisticated than we can imagine.

Si Andarapit. Ni Macario D. Tiu

http://mindanews.com/main/2010/04/30/bisag-unsa-si-andarapit/

DAKBAYAN SA DABAW (MindaNews/Abril 29) — Sige kog katawa pagkabati nako sa estorya mahitungod kang Andarapit. Hasta ang nag-estorya nako sige sab og katawa. Kulba kaayog kalaki ni si Andarapit. Ang mga Ata Manobo, nga maoy tinubdan niining estoryaha, naglikay gyod kaniya, as in. Pero nako pa, uy! Naa koy mga kaila nga malipay makahimamat si Andarapit!

Kini si Andarapit usa ka karakter nga nagpuyo sa pikas kalibotan sumala sa pagtuo sa mga Ata Manobo. Pers taym pa gyod ko kabati og karakter nga sama ni Andarapit. Sa akong pagkahibalo, wala siyay katugbang nga karakter sa laing mga kasugiran sa laing tribu sa Pilipinas ug bisan sa ubang nasod. O basin wala pa maestorya sa ubang tribu? Mao na nga dili ko motuo sa mga tawong moingon nga “overstudied” na ang usa ka tribu. Gamay pa lang gyod ang atong naukay. Wala pa gyod mahipos ang tanan nilang mga sugilanon.

Usa ka pananglitan na niana si Andarapit. Pipila na ka Ata Manobo ang akong nainterbyu aron kuhaag mga karaang estorya. Ang ubang mga estorya magkapareha o kaha lain-laing bersyon sila sa usa ka estorya.

Apan karong bag-o lang naa pa gyod koy nakuha nga lima ka bag-ong estorya sa mga Ata Manobo! Apil na niini si Andarapit. Busa ako, basta naa koy makailang Lumad, ako dayong interbyuhon ug pangayoag mga sugilanon. Ubay-ubay na sab ang akong nakolekta gikan sa mga tribu sa Davao ug nalakip sila sa usa ka anib sa akong libro nga Davao: Reconstructing history from text and memory (2005) nga gipatik sa Research and Publication Office (RPO) sa Ateneo de Davao University. Bisan pa, wala pa ko moundang og kolekta. Kinahanglan pa gyod ta mangolekta ug mangolekta gikan sa tanang tribu kay sa maong paagi, mapreserbar nato kining mga sugilanon ug makasabot ta sa atong kaagi isip katawhan.

Kining sugilanon mahitungod kang Andarapit akong nahipos gikan kang Romeo Lusad, Sr., 47 anyos, usa ka Ata Manobo nga taga Butay, Pakibato, Syudad sa Dabaw. Ako siyang naintebryu niadtong Abril 17, 2010 dinhis syudad. Nakaila nako si Romeo pinaagi sa iyang igsoong si Rolando nga usa ka gradweyt sa Ateneo. Kining sugilanona nabati ni Romeo gikan sa iyang amahan, nga kabahin sa mga kasugiran, leyenda ug mitos sa ilang tribu.

Sumala pa ni Romeo, kon mamatay ang usa ka Ata Manobo, ang sundang ug sudlay idapat sa iyang paa. Idapat lang ning mga butanga, dili isulod sa lungon. Sa karaang mga Ata Manobo, ang lawas sa patay kalagmitan ibutang lang sa balay, ug biyaan na sa mga paryente ang balay. O kon ibutang man sa lungon ila ning ibutang sa punoan sa kahoy. Pagpakita kini nga gimahal nila ang namatay, ug busa dili nila ni ilubong sa yuta.

Ang hinungdan nganong idapat ang sundang ug sudlay sa lawas sa patay kay iya ning gamiton sa iyang biyahe sa pikas kalibotan. Samtang siya magbaktas, ang kalag bation og kainit. Iyang gamiton ang sundang sa pagtigbas sa balete, ug ang mga sanga ug dahon sa balete magsayaw-sayaw aron paypayan ang kalag kay giigangan sa iyang paglakaw.

Sa unahan, moagi ang kalag og ngitngit nga bahin diin daghan ang bagakay, ug busa ngiob kaayo. Apan balewala ni sa kalag tungod kay daghan siyag patik sa iyang lawas. Kay kining mga patik mosiga sa ngitngit! Kon moagi ka sa ngitngit nga wala kay patik sa kamot, walay moiwag nimo sa ngitngit nga bahin. Mao na ang mga Lumad daghang patik sa ilang lawas.

Kining rason nga gihatag ni Romeo kon nganong adunay patik ang mga Lumad ikaduhang higayon ko na nabati. Niadtong 2000, mao sab ni ang gisulti sa akong estudyante nga si Jillen Dey Onggo nga usa ka Giangan. Sumala sa iyang lola nga daghan kaayog patik, ang mga patik sa lawas mohatag og kahayag didto sa pikas kalibotan. Busa ang tanang Lumad magpapatik gyod sa ilang lawas. Ikomparar ni sa lain pang rason nga akong nasayran: Nga kuno makabaton ka lang og patik isip timaan nga naa ka nay napatay nga tawo. Mas daghang patik, mas daghang napatay nga tawo. Kining rasona angay tukion og lalom, kay morag aplikable lamang kini sa mga bagani. Apan sa obserbasyon nako sa kaniadto, morag ang tanang Lumad man, ke bagani o dili, hasta babaye, naa may patik? Dili kaha panghadlok lang tong giingon nga mas daghang patik, mas daghang napatay nga tawo?

Gikan sa ngiob nga bahin sa pikas kalibotan, ang kalag mopadulong na sa Sapa sa Balugoan. Kinahanglang tabokon niya ning sapaa aron makaabot siya sa iyang kataposang destinasyon. Ug dinhi makahinabo niya si Andarapit! Maabtan niya nga naligo si Andarapit sa sapa! Ug makita sa kalag nga lalom kaayo ang sapa nga giligoan ni Andarapit. Unsaon niya ni pagtabok? Mahadlok siya kay iyang makita nga lalom kaayo ang sapa. Dili gyod puyde tabokon. Mao na ni karon. Si Andarapit mangagda kaniya aron siya babahon padulong sa pikas tampi. Ang nakaapan, ngilngig nig gahom si Andarapit. Kon lalaki ka, kini si Andarapit mapuno ang lawas og tutoy ug bisong! Kon babaye ka, mapuno ang iyang lawas og utin!

Perte nakong katawa sa estorya ni Romeo. Hasta si Romeo, sigeg bahakhak, ilabi na dihang akong namensyon nga kailag kog mga tawo nga malipay kang Andarapit. Di gyod sila molikay kang Andarapit, di ba, Ca?

Na, unsaon man nga ang mga Ata Manobo hadlok man kang Andarapit!? Dili sila makatabok sa sapa, apan dili sab sila gustong mobaba kang Andarapit! Busa kon mamatay ang usa ka Ata Manobo, naay paagi ang mga tigulang aron dili ka makababa kang Andarapit. Kadtong sudlay nga gidapat sa patay mao toy itugkad sa lubog nga sapa ug didto makita sa kalag nga mabaw ra diay kaayo ang sapa. Ang gihimo man god ni Andarapit, iya diayng karawon ang tubig aron ingnon nga lalom ni, pero sa pagkatinuod, mabaw ra diay kayo ni. Ug kana mahibaw-an kon sukdon sa sudlay ang sapa. Mabisto ang binuang ni Andarapit nga naghinam-hinam mobaba nimo! Apan kay naklaro na man nga mabaw ra diay ang sapa, dili na mahadlok ang kalag ug motabok na siya sa sapa nga dili kinahanglan mobaba kang Andarapit. Intawon si Andarapit. Aw, kadtong gustong mosulay kang Andarapit, ayaw mog balon og sudlay…

Kon makalabang ka na, moabot ka sa tinubdan sa Balugoan. Ang buot ipasabot sa balugoan, lugar nga kaligoan. Dinhang dapita ka maligo. Sa imong pagligo, ang tanan nimong mga gamit, mangatagak na. Ang imong bisti, ang imong buhok, tanan mangatagak. Mausab na ang imong pagkatawo, malimpiyo ka na. Dili na nimo madala ang bisan unsa, apil ang imong mga sala, didto sa laing kalibotan.

Pakapin nga estorya ni Romeo, sa unang panahon, puyde maadto ang lugar sa mga patay, didto sa imong mga minahal. Naay lugar didto nga gitawag og Tugbong diin puyde ka mohulam og mga gamit sama sa bisti, pantalon, ug purong. Ang pagsuroy didto morag gimingaw lang ka. Kon mobalik ka na, imo pong iuli ang imong gihulam. Karon dili na na mahitabo, kay naay buang-buang nga tao nga naghulam og gamit, apan wala na giuli ang iyang gihulam nga gamit. Tungod niadtong hitaboa, gisirhan na ang maong lugar.

Di ba ni pamilyar nga sugilanon? Bisag ang mga Bisaya ug ubang tribu sa Pilipinas naay susamang kasugiran. Kaniadto kuno puyde ka makahulam og mga pinggan ug kutsara ug ubang galamiton gikan sa mga engkanto nga nagpuyo sa balete o kuyba. Apan miabot ang panahon nga dili na sila magpahulam kay dili na man ipang-uli sa mga tawo ang ilang gihulam. Sa Ingles, gitawag ni og lost lender legend, kun leyenda sa tigpahulam nga nawala.

(Ang “Bisag Unsa” regular nga kolum ni Macario D. Tiu para sa MindaViews, ang seksyon sa opinion sa MindaNews. Si Mac usa ka Palanca awardee ug National Book awardee. Usa usab siya ka propesor sa Ateneo de Davao University. Puyde nimo ma-email si Mac sa mac_tiu@yahoo.com.ph)

The fight between Noynoy and Villar is close. And possibly, this trend will continue up until the election time. Unless, one or both camps commit serious mistakes/controversies, the favor will be tilt to the other side or it will go to either Erap or Gibo. Though the latter, as i see it, is not the remotest possibility considering a week just passed of the 90 days campaign battle.

As a student of politics, I am especially curious about how the resourced-rich Villar will react and fare to allegations presented against him. Villar’s strength, undoubtedly, is rooted on his being the poor man’s hope —a very good packaging knowing that he was once a poor guy who strove to claim the billionaire’s spot. Truly a success story that if you belong to the majoritarian Class E of the population, you would think that Villar is the one. That is why he is winning the masa in surveys.

This lately, however, I happened to stumble on his past and present controversies unfamiliar to me. All pointed out to anomalous dealings involving his businesses.

a) The conversion of CLOA-covered 12.7 hectares of irrigated rice lands to Villar’s subdivisions in Oton, Ilo-Ilo. This case of illegal land conversion, apparently, serves as a pattern of how Sen. Manuel Villar enriched himself.  Since CLOAs are non-transferable, the former DAR Secretary Rene Villa, who then refused the land conversion, believed that “only a collusion between developer and DAR could make the conversion of CLOA-covered lands possible.” Villar, he said, “sets aside the interest of (CARP) beneficiaries in order to pursue his business interest.”

While the BIGMAN Drilon also revealed that Villar used P4 million of his pork barrel funds to have a road built leading to Savannah Iloilo Communities, a Villar’s company owns. This road, Inquirer quoted, was the only public works project of Villar in the province.

Villar made a lot of money by ballooning the lot’s value from P24 million to at least P420 million. Read on.

b) The Landgrabbing/Land Dispute in Norzagaray, Bulacan. The case is about a land dispute wherein the Villar’s Optimum Development bank, the Bangko Sentral and private entities were involved. As the story told by blogger stuartsantiago, I quote:

In 1998, Mrs. Cynthia Villar –the wife of Sen. Villar, then the president of Capitol Development Bank, managed to secure a loan from the Bangko Sentral amounting to one and a half billion pesos in two tranches: 1.17 billion on 22 April 1998, and 332 million on 24 April,1998.

Based on the promissory notes signed by Villar and a certain Magno (CDB-VP) on the two mentioned dates, they promised to pay their loan after six months or 180 days at an interest rate of 14.957 percent per annum. Upon maturity however, the bank and/or the signatories to the loan accommodation failed to pay.

Instead, they settled the loan through a dacion en pago of 483.97 hectares in Norzagaray, Bulacan, the same property that the complainants now before the Ombudsman are claiming to be lawfully theirs. At the time of the dacion, the zonal value assigned by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which is supposed to approximate actual market value, was 60 pesos per square meter or 600,000 pesos per hectare. Those 484 hectares should therefore be worth 290 million pesos, but it was used to settle an account from the Bangko Sentral of 1.5 billion pesos! Can you beat that?

In fine, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, fiduciary trustee of the people of the Republic of the Philippines, issuer of legal tender used by its benighted residents within the metes and bounds of the same Republic, now holds assets valued at 290 million, which “erased” liability of the Villars worth one and a half billion, or five times the value of the property now in its possession. In effect, the Bangko Sentral lost 1.210 billion of the people’s money to some very, very wise guys, for and in behalf of a hopelessly bankrupt Capitol Development Bank.

…Yet, the complainants and their lawyer included Senate President Manuel Villar in the complaint, who at the time of the transaction and its episodes, was either a congressman or already Speaker of the House. The lawyer explained that though Villar was not a signatory, the circumstances in the irregular and unusually generous transaction suggest clearly that the latter must have exerted undue influence or pressure upon the officers of the Bangko Sentral.

While that contention may be legally debatable, would Manny Villar leave his wife the congresswoman to answer this complaint singly? Can he simply shrug these charges off as “recycled” and “old” or leave the explaining to his faithful political acolytes, as he did the mystery of the 200 million double entry which would cross through properties he and his wife own, and for which monies of the Republic were used to compensate for road right of way? ” Read on.

Unless Villar answers to these issues convincingly, at legal and ethical fronts, he will be losing grip to substantial masa votes. This because masa would think as some Makati Business Club members do; Villar is using power to benefit himself.