The raw footage of the little girl's infamous temper can be seen in YouTube (Hat tip to Uniffors.com)
Assperon's appointment to the Peace portfolio was suspect way back. I had this crazy hunch that something sinister was in the works, what with this war monger and his girlfriend trying to perpetrate their giyera-giyerahan using the poor foot soldiers as their sacrificial lambs. Not to mention the Ass was then joining Gen. Boogie Mendoza, a former Razon protege, and an "acclaimed anti-terrorist expert" (it just happened that a fire of suspicious origin, "suspicious" at least to the instinctive Policewoman Aida Fariscal, gave away "Operation Bojinka" in an Al-Qaeda bomb-making makeshift lab in Ermita leading to the arrests of Murad and '93 WTC Bomber Youzef).
On the other side of the fence, a separatist front of freedom fighters on Mondays, Abu Sayyaf kidnappers on Tuesdays, Jemaah Islamiya trainees on Wednesdays, lost command on Thursdays, devout Muslims on Fridays, and plain farmers and merchants on weekends. Overseen by their provisions suppliers from Malaysia.
Now what do we have? A highly volatile cocktail made up of an administration struggling for perpetual survival, high-profile GWOT freaks looking for an opportunity to expand their military control and a wayward army of bandits all of them intelligent enough to know that peace was doomed in the first place but insist that they might just be able to pull it through.
No, Gloria didn't plan to dismember the country via the MOA-AD, she knows it's unconstitutional, luckily, the legit opposition saw through her, she even had to use her allies to petition for a TRO which her SC appointees readily obliged to. She was expecting widespread retaliation but the MILF hierarchy surprisingly held back, her emergency rule cannot be imposed! No martial law, no chacha either. Doom! The Ass' loyal generals immediately had to scramble for the "Lost Commanders" Kato and Bravo who have been burning villages left and right in the past yet no sincere effort to bring them to justice was ever taken (You now have an idea why Kabalu insists these commanders were not ordered by MILF to do so). They needed them to jump start this stage of the war to put Plan B into action. Funny but Eid Kabalu hasn't announced an all-out offensive yet. Nor has Puno and Teodoro. Who wants to really finish the war after all? Even Misuari's MNLF are now wearing their old uniforms to defend their own territory. Against whom? The gov't? MILF? Or the Lost Command?
Gloria's "Defend every inch of the territory" spiel was predictably looking for just the right moment to be announced so she blew her top after finding out her staff had not even prepared the teleprompter.
I suggest you stock up on the popcorn. I have not heard it in Beijing, maybe it was spoken in Mandarin, but this Mindanao spectacle, some call it moro-moro, is about to be officially opened.
ABS-CBN has finally admitted the abduction. The popular Ces Drilon of their news department, together with her crew, Jimmy Encarnacion and Angel Valderama, and Mindanao peace advocate and MSU professor Octavio Dinampo was going to the Abu Sayyaf lair in Maimbung, Sulu for an exclusive interview with Radulan "Kumander Putol" Sahiron. Sahiron, 55 (some intelligence websites say 75) is assumed to be the spiritual leader and possibly the overall leader of the Abu Sayyaf bandits after the reported death of Khadaffy Janjalani.
He carries a very tempting $5 Million reward for information leading to his capture. Nevertheless, Drilon and her group was pursuing a possible scoop as Tribune says her group was invited there for a special event.
DOJ's Gonzales claims he has a letter he received three months ago purportedly by the "one-armed bandit" which states Sahiron's demands in exchange for surrender. Could this be the special event Ces was about to cover?
Reports of her group's kidnapping came out Saturday but it only hit the headlines yesterday, Monday. It's stupid though that Executive Secretary Ermita is dishing unintelligible gibberish in media that Drilon should have coordinated her activities with the police or military! If she did that, of course she won't be kidnapped. But she won't scoop that story/interview, too. Instead, she will be assassinated by the Abu Sayyaf or she could just be another statistic under the column "Collateral Damage". Once Sahiron's location if positively identified, the shooting will commence whether Ces is there or not. Any information of them meeting with the Abu Sayyaf leader will definitely send the security forces, both local and foreign, and bounty hunters, into a surveillance frenzy.
But even that statement of Ermita is not true. In Tribune's report
At the Senate, it was learned that Drilon and companions were offered security men to guard her and her television crew, but that she refused this offer made by the military.
Major Gen. Juancho Sabban disclosed this during his confirmation hearing before the Commission on Appointments (CA) yesterday along with several other military officers up for promotion.
“In the case of Ces Drilon we offered (her) security. But of course we cannot deny media from pursuing freedom of the press. We don’t know the reason she wanted to go to that place,” he told Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, vice chair of the CA committee on national defense, who inquired into the matter.
Sabban, commander of the Joint Task Force Comet which is assigned in Sulu, the mission of which is to hunt down the Abu Sayyaf Group and other lawless elements in the area, was stopped short from further disclosing the alleged handlers of Drilon so as not to compromise the safety of the journalist and her companions.
Initially, it appeared, the AFP was not aware of the fact that Drilon went to Sulu on the invitation of Mindanao State University professor supposedly to cover a special event.
“We checked Dinampo’s background a long time ago. But we didn’t know that he was the one who invited her and (that) the purpose (of the visit) was in an unclear area.
“We did offer her security. From Zamboanga, she boarded a plane with one of my brigade commanders. He offered security but she declined,” he said, under grilling from Sen. Richard Gordon.
Is Ermita now blaming journalists for the continuing lawlessness in many parts of Muslim Mindanao and throughout the country? Instead of hunting down rebels, government is now actually telling us our right to travel has been impaired especially in rebel strongholds, and that comes from a lousy ex-general.
While some bloggers are hitting hard against media for the news blackout, this one will not (yet?) venture into that arena of trivial pursuits, but neither will it engage in wild speculations until the issues are clearly settled.
Which leads to the questions :
-Was Ces and her group victims of a sting concocted by Sahiron and her abductors, if indeed these were Abu Sayyaf, for ransom and/or political purposes?
-Was the kidnap group, whether from the rebel or the state, preventing Sahiron from revealing to media something very critical they wouldn't let it happen? Could it have been done to prevent his surrender?
-Was the kidnapping an attempt to force Ces to reveal the location of Sahiron for the purpose of his capture, either by security forces, both local and foreign or by headhunting mercenaries considering the five million dollars bounty Sahiron's head is worth?
-Is this a publicity stunt of the Lopez-controlled network to to further enhance its underdog image in the mafia vs. Meralco intramurals?
-Is it a handiwork of the mafia to deal a serious blow to the Lopezes in retaliation for the severe beating it got from media?
-Is this a genuine "accidental" kidnapping by a group outside of Abu Sayyaf which grabbed it when the opportunity presented itself?
-Is this a manifestation of the general policy of the other non-Abu rebel groups to keep ARMM inaccessible to outsiders?
-Is Abu Sayyaf really a ragtag collection of savage beasts who have no respect for anyone including those of its own recognized religious and political leaders, like Radulan Sahiron?
-These questions are all valid, and unless somebody starts talking now, the situation invites more speculations.
Today is our Independence Day, and it pains me to post this ironic event. I condemn this despicable act in the strongest terms and I invite all my blog visitors and subscribers to pray for the early and safe release of Ces Drilon and company.
(Note: Photos courtesy of ABS-CBN website and the US Treasury website)
Since the first time I first posted it in Ellen's Blog, everybody has increased their own awareness of the little devil called systems loss. The fact that Meralco has been passing these charges and that government even collects taxes from it, has angered many of Meralco's clients. You now hear calls to scrap the tax on systems loss or scrap the whole thing altogether. Some morons in Congress are even threatening to file class suits when they were responsible for EPIRA that allowed the charging of systems loss. No different is Malacañang stooge Mr. Wetness Apostol who is encouraging that class suit, he voted in favor of EPIRA. At that time he was a Congressman of Leyte. So what really is systems loss?
To make things simple, systems loss is the difference BETWEEN the total power generated by the plants AND the sum of all the power ACCOUNTED FOR in the residential, commercial and industrial electricity bills. Not all is stolen, though.
Allow me to make a SHORT (heheh) distinction between what is likely to be "tongpats" and what is inevitable systems loss. (I hope I can make it in simple layman's terms.)
A. Technical Losses -
1. Conductors such as copper and aluminum for domestic utility voltage transmission and distribution (220/440V)and steel-reinforced aluminum for medium and high voltage transmission(4.16KV to 138KV) all consume electricity since copper, aluminum, and steel are not "perfect" conductors. They will consume some of the electricity and dissipate it as heat. This energy will of course be "missing" from the utilized sum from the bills.
2. Add to that those consumed in the substations (switching yards that connect your city lines to the power grid) which may come from Substation Transformer (huge, floor-mounted types) which step-down High Voltage coming from TRANSCO to a lower, "safe" distribution voltage. These transformers have so-called core losses because again, transformer coil windings are made from copper or aluminum. Further, energized transformers, even if not connected to any load will still consume power in the primary (higher voltage) windings.
3. Transformers also have cooling systems which utilize huge electric fans which operate much like the radiator system on your air conditioning unit. This also consumes electricity.
4. The different aspects of power in these substations are measured for control and monitoring purposes using, again, smaller instrument transformers which also consume power. Solid state electronics, including on-site computers and transmitters, are also installed for a more efficient supervision in a central area, say Meralco Bldg. in Ortigas, which controls the whole of its franchise area in Luzon. These peripheral equipment's consumption, likewise, is "missing" from the sum.
5. After power leaves the substation through the distribution lines (which conductors will consume some more power), it goes to the distribution transformer on top of the electric post nearest your house. Again this transformer has its own systems loss. Meralco's area of responsibility ends where the service-drop cable enters your electric meter.
B. Non-Technical or Pilferage Losses - Unauthorized tapping into the system, using of jumpers to bypass the electric meter, use of devices that alter the meters' reading, and generally all usage that is not reflected in the bills by fraudulent methods. The meter readers' errors also fall into this category.
C. Administrative Consumption Losses- Every substation has its own office building which consumes electricity for its lighting, office equipment, maybe appliances such as coffee-maker, water dispensers, and cellphone chargers also adds to systems loss.
What I'm not sure, since it's not clear from the answers given in the Senate, if the power consumed in the whole Meralco complex in Ortigas, or in their other offices in the franchise area, which may include the collection offices, are also included in the systems loss computation. If so, this belongs to administrative consumption
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It's standard practice worldwide that distributors are ALLOWED a certain amount of systems loss since there are no perfect machines, so transformers and conductors are not an exemption to this. The amount of energy leaving the power plant will always be bigger than the energy that the distributor will collect based on the meters.
Therefore, technical losses are inherent to the system thus, we can allow Meralco or whoever runs distribution to pass this on to the consumers wholly.
Some may argue that technical losses can be minimized. That's true but in the case of transformers, oversizing is the only way to improve efficiency, but that will also increase capital machinery cost and the bottom line is it will just be reflected on the Return On Rate Base (RORB)- a percentage of profit the government's regulating agency like ERC, or a law like EPIRA, may fix for utility companies. No gain there. Conductors? Copper is the cheapest material presently known to man that serves the purpose. Improving systems loss on conductors by installing silver or gold cables will definitely be a bigger headache later.
Pilferage, the last time I checked is already a crime. Going after criminals is whose business, Meralco? Of course Meralco will be needed to identify and prove pilferage, but excuse me, I have yet to see PNP Chief Razon or Sir Raul O. Gonzales who heads NBI ordering their men to investigate wide scale pilferage in many squatters' areas in the Metropolis. Or a systems loss investigation for whole cities and provinces.
To ensure Meralco will participate in apprehending and prosecuting pilferers, a reward system is necessary even if just to reimburse Meralco for its expenses and effort.
In this case, I say charge systems losses from pilferage to government This government wants to earn taxes without doing its job? By charging it to government, they will be forced to protect the paying consumers and ensure that the distributors will be rewarded. The present system only encourages thieves and punishes honest consumers. Do I hear a lawyer saying it's unconstitutional?
On administrative losses, this is a contentious issue since we or I am not yet sure if the Meralco Office building in Ortigas Ave., or that Meralco Office in Harrison St. where I pay my bills and other similar offices are consuming power that are included in our billed system loss charge. If they do, does EPIRA allow it?
EPIRA did provide a 9.5% cap on Meralco's pass on systems loss, what I don't know is how the law's sponsors arrived at the figure. To come to this specific percentage, the drafters should have first determined the industry standards in US since our electrical system designs are patterned after the Americans' National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), National Electrical Manufacturers' Association (NEMA), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) among the main ones. We can also consult for comparison the Europeans' International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the Japanese Institute Standards (JIS) which is also the basis of some Asian countries like South Korea.
It is not enough that we know the percentage in other countries but also what items comprise this figure. At maximum, we can allow Meralco to charge to systems loss only up to the essential parts of their business. I don't think we should be paying the electric bills for example of Meralco Theater that is used for staging concerts, or MIESCOR, a Meralco subsidiary that is also a sub-contractor, or any of the other businesses of the Lopezes that are also consuming power in the Meralco building.
This is a long, and detailed study that needs to be made and like chaffs and grains, remove those not integral to the business. What remains, we can allow to be passed on BUT always within the percentage cap we have determined earlier. This will require the modification of EPIRA by Congress.
Of the different utilities, it is only in electricity that we are complaining about systems loss. Water distribution has its own systems loss also, coming from evaporation, leaks and again, pilferage, why is nobody complaining? Similar with gas and petrol. Because electricity is heavily regulated we get to see the unbundled items in our electric bills. For me, transparency from Meralco is not a problem. The problem lies with ERC and EPIRA sponsors in Congress which should have been auditing the records of the distributors before they approved the rates. Several reviews had been undertaken by government people from other departments (of course, not from the moron Reyes' Department of Energy) and they all came up with nothing. That always happens when you have incompetents, morons and the corrupt running government. I guess their stupid purpose was only to search for items they could tax. Systems loss should in no way be taxed by government.
The total removal of systems loss charges, as some are now espousing, will in the end be detrimental to ensuring that the distributor will not go bankrupt and result to massive blackouts like California experienced and ended with the people paying more later.
My proposal would therefore be determine systems losses separately for technical, pilferage and administrative. Check if the technical losses are within standards and set a limit there. Pilferage is the responsibility of government so they must account for it. Absolutely no pass on. Reward the distributor if it helps catch power thieves. Administrative losses must ensure only the power consumed for integral essential activities are allowed to be passed on to consumers.
It must be a balance of the interests of the power investor, the benefits to honest and paying consumers, and fair taxation for government.
As for taxes, sales to government had always been exempted from taxes and import duties. In the same manner, government money invested in private businesses should also be tax-free. At the very least, proportionate to the percentage of government ownership at the time the purchase was made. For example, purchases made by PNOC, which is roughly half-owned by government, should only be taxed and duties levied in proportion to the amount owned by private persons. Therefore, the price of Petron should be much lower since pass-on duties and taxes are only half of what it had been collecting! Same with government investments in banks, Meralco, Transco, GOCCs, etc. That should be fair enough.
Implementing these proposals will need a lot of serious, honest work from government.
The past days, talks circulating in business circles, among other things - like, a possible PSE stock market crash, Hanjin's bribery/extortion scandal in Misamis, the oil price hitting $200 - focused also on the government's impending wrestling of management of the country's biggest electricity distributor, Meralco, right after Gloria Arroyo spoke before businessmen renewing an old promise she made during her second SONA which as always, she never fulfills anyway. That signalled the start of an all-out offensive against the Meralco-controlling interests of the Lopez family, long perceived as one of Arroyo's harshest critics. The Lopez media giant, ABS-CBN has allegedly been constantly pressured to stop its coverage of Senate proceedings which centered mainly on recent corruption issues that are traced right to the doorsteps of the Presidential Palace.
Gloria's speech, by the way, emphasized Meralco should not pass on to consumers the systems losses - one of the very few issues I agree with her on - was a topic of a comment I wrote in Ellen's blog the day before Gloria's speech. Whether coincidental or prophetic, or not, systems losses is only the other rate in this EPIRA-unbundled electricity price regime that Meralco has direct control over.
Gloria has given marching orders to her department secretaries to file several petitions before the Energy Regulatory Commission to bring down the price of electricity. According to a Malacañang Press Release,
Among the petitions expected to be taken up by the ERC on May 6 are the following: 1) to enjoin Meralco from buying electricity from Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) at peak hours; 2) to ensure preferential treatment for poor households and power intensive industries in the distribution of transfer charges by Meralco; 3) prohibit Meralco from charging system loss on consumers; and 4) to require Meralco to impose the same charge as that of Visayan Electric Company (VECO), or Davao Light and Power and 140 other power coops around the country. The President also instructed the National Power Corporation (Napocor) to reduce to P4.11/kilowatt from P6-P10 it charges Meralco. Napocor charges Luzon electric cooperatives P4.11/kw.
The Charges
According to Gloria, Meralco should stop buying its peak power from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), an EPIRA Law offshoot that oversees direct-to-producer pre-sales which purpose is to provide wholesale power buyers a choice of suppliers thus encouraging competition that will result to lowering of prices.
Further, she aims to prevent Meralco from passing on systems losses to the consumers. Presently capped st 9.5% of total billing by the same Law, the gov't nevertheless subjects this item to EVAT.
GSIS President, Winston Garcia, goes a step further, he wants to audit Meralco's financial statements to see if Meralco is overcharging its clients. He threatens, directly and indirectly, to take full control over management of the country's biggest utility firm should Meralco continue to hide documents he had been seeking, most especially supply contracts with the Lopez flagship First Philippine Holdings Corp.'s IPP plants. He has been complaining about getting the reports just a day or two before the board meetings leaving him no time to study them.
He also doubts Meralco's insurance agent, Republic Surety, which is based in Bahamas, as he says he has been informed that Republic Surety charges the company with excessive rates. This creates a gray area since he is a competitor, with GSIS being in the insurance business itself.
Garcia's brash, arrogant attitude has been a problem in the last board meetings, and according to the grapevine, it has resulted in the quitting of 2 well-respected businessmen from the board - industrialist Washington Sycip and an ex-Napocor president. Much earlier, the Corporate Secretary wanted no more of Garcia's bullying, and was the first to quit.
Garcia was also responsible for blocking the nomination of one highly-qualified replacement, Monico Jacob - PNOC and Petron president at the time of Cory - for the flimsiest of reasons. I know Jacob to be the guy who co-signed with Cory the BOT contract (with a company I was working for at that time) to construct a 300-MW combined cycle power plant. I am very familiar with this contract because it was signed, together with four or five other IPP deals in Malacañang, on 5:00 PM of June 30, 1992 - in the LAST FEW SECONDS of Cory's presidency. I was also the one who personally ripped off the machine the fax from Guido Delgado, Jacob's successor in Ramos' team, who informed us the cancelation of the same contract. That contract, by the way, was the most expensive bid at $0.06 per kilowatt or by today's exchange should have cost us consumers P2.52 per. But even then, it is still WAY CHEAPER than Napocor's rate to Meralco of P6-P8!
On another front, Sen. Miriam Santiago likewise lashes out on Meralco's management whom she collectively referred to as a syndicate. "Iyang Meralco na iyan, dapat pasabugin na iyan. Pugad iyan ng mga sindikato, mas grabe pa yan sa Bureau of Customs," she averred while admitting she has no evidence. She also concedes Meralco is better off in the hands of the private sector than with government.
We also heard but briefly, Arroyo's legal adviser Apostol talk about Meralco's "greed" and concurrence towards Garcia's planned takeover of management hours before he again stuck his foot in his mouth; the new House Speaker ordering the energy ignoramus presidential son who chairs the Energy Committee to begin his investigations (as if he was never given instructions at home to do so); and some other government functionary ready to howl, grunt, and moan the moment the baton was raised.
The Response
Noting that the charges were serious and with no less than Gloria leading the offensive, obviously on Garcia's prodding, Meralco used its media muscle to make people listen to what it had to say. Meralco's president, Chito Francisco, who probably made Garcia and the other attack dogs drool for his enviable position, defended Meralco on TV, radio, newspapers and the web and deflected the blame on government itself and on its proxies over at Napocor. I even saw Christian Monsod, also a Meralco director in tandem with Francisco explain on a talk show:
That Meralco buys about half of its electricity from Napocor and half from the Lopez-owned IPPs;
That the price of power from the 2 natural gas-fed FPHC plants in Sta. Rita and San Loranzo and the coal-fed Quezon Power are actually cheaper than that of Napocor;
That they have "maximized" their draw on both contracts with Napocor and the IPPs that they have no choice but to go to WESM for the extra peak-time supply;
That it was impossible for Meralco to immediately provide anyone who requests it a complete set of financial documents annexed with contract copies, purchase orders, etc. (as Garcia demanded) if all the other 80,000 stockholders would be doing the same.
The first three explanations are plausible, but although I would disagree with the last, there are good reasons why they deliberately keep these records from Garcia, which soundness I will explain later.
Reduced rates for companies in economic zones of PEZA through an economic zone program earlier signed between Meralco and the National Power Corp. (NPC). This will help keep industrial rates down and make the country’s exporters more globally competitive
Bought power from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) at lower cost. (To see how much Meralco buys its power from suppliers, download this table showing the breakdown of its charges to Economic Zones.
It also shows the breakdown of its buying prices from the different sources, clearly showing that the Napocor and WESM-acquired power are the culprits in the higher cost of electricity.
And another one, a presentation supposedly made before the so-called Power Sector Stakeholders' Meeting organized by the-energy-moron-who-heads-the-energy-department.
Yesterday, it was FPHC Chairman Oscar Lopez all over the news who was at the ends of his wits and dared government to buy the family's shares in the power giant if it believed it can do better. Except for the ambitious Garcia, no other Gloria lapdog seemed to be pursuing the takeover line and retreated back to playing the It's-Garcia's-call hand.
Similarly, the Energy Regulatory Commission has joined the fray and issued a show cause order to Napocor to explain why it has not applied "to recover P10 Billion worth of generation and forex-related costs" which has an effect of overcharging that amount, an equivalent of P0.20/KWh, to the consumers. A question conveniently eluded by Napocor president Del Callar by declaring he is ready to give more than 20 centavos reduction in two weeks. But that doesn't absolve them of overcharging. Remember, the Supreme Court voided a previous ERC approval for Meralco increase by the mere technicality of non-publication, now Del Callar wants to go scot-free by giving a bigger reduction, never mind if its late by two years!
Finally, it was the business groups' and the opposition members of both houses' calls that have been more likely the growing consensus: reduce the power rates, but include all other options and leave Meralco Management to private businessmen!
Conclusion
Personally, I see nothing wrong in seeking ways to reduce the cost of electricity. In fact it should have been the concern of this administration from day one! We can't hope to be noticed in the investors' radar screens when the cost of energy in this country is the second highest in the whole of Asia, next to Japan. It is the same culprit perhaps, that has largely promoted OFW migration and stunted the growth of its ugly cousin, jobs generation.
The energy leaders in all branches of government are a collection of the energy ignoramuses of the worst kind - the always-clueless deflated soccerball Energy Secretary whose best known competence is keeping quiet in the corner where he was last kicked; a Senator with an outstanding legal aptitude who is nonetheless a moron when you speak of even just the basic Laws of Ohm or Kirchoff; and a presidential son whose only credential is that - a presidential son.
Forget that as early as her first SONA, Gloria has already promised back then to bring the cost of electricity to rates affordable to the masses. Sure, we had EPIRA Law passed by her dummies in Congress in 2001, but what has EPIRA achieved? First, it "unbundled" the rates in preparation for the privatization of the transmission and generation sectors which so far had all been scandalized by rigged biddings favoring the Mafia. EPIRA was also successful in "hiding" the Purchased Power Adjustments - the burden that consumers had to pay for excess power not even consumed, it now forms part of "generation charge" whether a single watt has been produced, transmitted and used OR NOT.
EPIRA also gave us WESM, the spot market mechanism that was responsible for Napocor's price spiral last summer, from about P5/KWh to P9 when its purpose was to "encourage competition resulting in the lowering of electricity prices". Total failure there.
The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) another product of EPIRA now headed by former Soriano protegé, Jose "Nono" Ibazeta, drew flak recently when it disqualified a consortium headed by mining magnate-brothers Buddy and Manny Zamora who pre-announced their bid of $6B for the whole of TransCo apparently after sensing that the Bid Committee is hell bent on demolishing all threats to the victory of Monte Oro Resources and Energy, known widely in the energy and mining business as the "Mafia Team" composed of FG's golf and business buddies (and former Ibazeta partners whom we now know bought out Broadband Philippines from Joey De venecia III, among other ventures) Ricky Razon of ICTSI, Endika Aboitiz of the second biggest private energy operators under the flagship Aboitiz Energy Ventures, Andy Soriano III and other small fish collectively called the "Malacañang Mafia".
The superior bid of $6B notwithstanding, PSALM awarded the prized trophy, TransCo to Monte Oro for a measly bid of $3.95B!
Prior to that PSALM experienced 3 failed biddings in two years. No one was bidding for Masinloc unless there was an assurance of a buyer of its power output. Napocor of course turned to Meralco, I presume, with special power rates just so the bid pushes through. That turned the tide and AES, a US-based corporation won the Masinloc plant for $930M, which I must say is too steep for an old coal plant that operates only at 25% of its capacity. Rule of thumb price for a similar plant is $1 Million per Megawatt. At 600MW, $930M is a jackpot. That's not all, AES claims it needs to pour in additional $1B to rehabilitate the plant and double its present capacity. Unbelievable. Now where do they plan to get the money to pay their loans to IFC for that purpose? Correct, from generation charge. And since the power sector will not be deregulated anytime soon, it smells like a possible loan default would be inevitable. Hey, don't tell me this loan is covered by another sovereign guarantee, please!
Aside from 5 small and 2 major hydroelectric generators, which loot has been divided between the Lopezes and the Aboitizes, only Calaca Coal I was the other large-size plant successfully privatized together with Masinloc. PSALM is yet to provide the tender docs for the soon-to-be-auctioned geothermal assets that will surely attract straightforward bidders but will also appeal to the lust of the drooling brokers, commissioners, and of course, the Mafia Team.
Now back to Gloria's speech, I cannot chew, much less digest what she says about buying power OTHER THAN from WESM during peak hours. Please be reminded that WESM is actually 80% Napocor and Transco, 19% Meralco, and 1% small producers. Is she now sales-pitching for her Cebu allies Aboitiz? It's a no-brainer that Meralco will buy from the more expensive supplier when there are cheaper alternatives, isn't it? And look at her examples, she said Meralco should be buying the same prices of VECO and Davao Light. Again, an Aboitiz sales pitch, since both distributors are owned by AEV. In local parlance, "Halatang-halata". Meralco can buy only so much from any plant, and buy only standby from the thermal plants with a side contract on rebates for unused fuel since the full capacity won't be utilized anyway. Buying from VECO's Visayas and Mindanao plants is stupid since there are not much differences in generation costs that would offset the extra premium to TransCo for the longer end-to-end transmission distance. Further, Aboitiz would surely sell to Meralco the more expensive power, leaving the cheaper ones sourced from geothermal and hydro for their own consumption, making a fatter profit overall.
I need not dwell on Napocor since it is common knowledge that Napocor is the most mismanaged GOCC, with its twelve Vice Presidents, already paid their retirement and rehired by the same company. From P851B in debts and obligations at the end of 2001, by 2006, its debt stock ballooned to P1.2 Trillion and that's after the government absorbed P200B in 2004 as mandated by EPIRA. We all know that Gloria forced down Napocor's price for pogi points in her re-election campaign then. But that was the seventh year of continuous losses from paying the IPPs. This, while the national government continues to absorb a third of the total debt stock of Napocor. As of end-2007, it still owes HALF TRILLION PESOS in outstanding debt despite the huge funds being poured into its coffers.
What did we, the taxpayers, get in return? Just this year, a virtual unknown company with a constantly-changing address was invited, bidded in, and won a whopping P320M contract to supply coal to the Pagbilao Coal plant. Checking with SEC, its records say that it was a "minimum" corporation - One Million Pesos of stocks authorized, P250,000 subscribed, and only P62,500 actually paid!. It doesn't end there, the contract was even raised to P956.4M! The corporation's listed bank is a "Peninsula Rural Bank" located in, what do you know, Cebu!
This three-month old company (at the time of invitation) is definitely a middleman with no previous record of coal trading. Ditto the individual records of the incorporators. Napocor now deals with middlemen when it can get tenders directly from coal producers on the cheap. What is Gloria's government doing about it? Nada. Dick Pascual has the sleazy details.
On the issue of passing systems losses to consumers, its study must be initiated by policy makers to balance between the greed of companies and the welfare of the consumers with government providing the incentives to sustain it. Simply directing a stoppage to its collection may prove to be harmful in the long run, 9.5% in terms of utility bottom lines is no meager amount!
Napocor and the IPPs produce power in KVA (Kilo Volt x Amperes), they sell it (technically, it’s called “demand”) in KVAh (KVA x hrs.) to distributors like Meralco.
Meralco in turn, sells it to us in KWh (Kilo Watt x hrs.) which is actual consumption. KVAh x Power Factor (which is always a decimal value) is reflected in our bills as KWh. It looks good initially, doesn’t it? We’re paying the LOWER amount of “consumed power”.
But here’s the catch. The “sytems losses” which is comprised of energy distributed but not billed is summed up and distributed to all PAYING customers only. Systems losses include losses from equipment (i.e., distribution transformers’ core losses, copper conductor losses, low-Power Factor loads, etc.) and THOSE LOST THROUGH PILFERAGE. What one jumper has “cheated” out of the utility company, the others are paying for. No economic loss for the distributor.
Multiply that practice with those who tap into the power lines which is very rampant in many squatter colonies.
We, the fair buyers, are actually paying more to cover the amount lost to power theft, and for subsidizing those consuming less than 100KWh a month, which you can achieve by dividing your loads and applying for a meter to each freezer, aircon, or whathaveyou in order to fall within a certain bracket of higher subsidy.
The systems loss charges, steady at about 8-9% of the total bill per month, frees Meralco from the responsibility to run after power thieves, while on the other hand, it punishes those who are lawfully-abiding consumers. It only perpetuates - no, encourages - stealing and it does not pressure both distributor and consumer into using machinery and other loads which are more power efficient since someone else is paying for another person’s indifference.
What is worse is that this "loss", which by the very definition of the word, does not qualify for any "value added", is even subjected to the Expanded Value-Added Tax!
Incidentally, the lower end cutoff for Power Factor, at 0.75 does not help much either. Meralco's industrial clients are levied a monthly penalty if their power factor is below 0.75 and gets rebates over 0.85. Why not raise this range to 0.80 to 0.90 which many manufacturing plants and commercial establishments can easily achieve by installing power factor correction capacitors? This practice is now widespread with some suppliers even collecting payments based on power factor savings: the rebate pays for the equipment! Properly promoted, this will definitely trim a large chunk off the systems loss charge. Same for power quality, many large companies with several computers, variable speed/frequency drives and other non-linear loads generate harmonic "noise" on the system which may sometimes be destructive to our sensitive equipment and appliances. It's about time we upgraded and followed the Electrical Code, Fire Code, and Building Code.
Look, as I was searching the AEV website for VECO, to see how much VECO charges for system losses. (I know this from a website I visited to be about 8.14% which is actually higher than Meralco's most recent billing - about 7.8%) instead, I stumbled upon this page wherein the last line says, "VECO is owned and managed by the Aboitiz and Garcia families of Cebu."
So there it is, another conflict-of-interest issue involving the blabbermouth GSIS President seeking to take a peek into the trade secrets of his competitor, aside from the issue where Garcia says the insurers of Meralco are overcharging thus, he wants the records of the transactions. Again, as competitor (he heads GSIS which is into insurance), there is wisdom in Meralco's seeming to be lacking in transparency. I would have done the same if my co-owner who has conflicting interests with another company, he is entitled to see the stockholder reports BUT NOT documents related to specific operations. Wtf? Gloria and her stooges lecturing us on transparency?
Garcia's moves are politically motivated, even the businessmen know it. It is stupid enough that his scare tactics has pulled down the price of Meralco A&B in PSE. These pronouncements alone should merit at the very least some kind of disciplinary action from the GSIS Board of Trustees, since he is putting at great risk a huge amount of social security money that has no previous problem making profits in that investment. In the first place, a person like Garcia has no business running a state pension and security fund on the basis alone of his and his family's and partners' businesses. Well, didn't he move the GSIS account from the stable, more convenient Metrobank Landbank to favor his kababayan and VECO co-owners Aboitiz and move it to the Aboitiz-owned Union Bank? Never mind that gov't employees in the provinces had to skip work to get their checks or withdraw from the next poblacion in the next island because Union Bank has less ATMs and branches than Metrobank Landbank!
As GSIS' main fund manager, he should have been more discreet, avoiding means fair and foul to settle a score with Meralco's Board for keeping some documents from him. But if he wants to pursue the takeover of Meralco he obviously has made it much easier. Meralco is selling at a much cheaper price these days. GSIS' 22% stake coupled with those of Landbank, Pag-Ibig Fund, and Philhealth make up 33% ownership in Meralco, a tad shy of the Lopezes' 33.4% interest.
All these are playing into the hands of Garcia, who needs a popular issue to hitch his campaign wagon, anointing himself the Pinoy savior, thus he deserves to become their Senator. At the same time, his partners can totally monopolize the energy industry with the Lopezes out of their paths. They can now easily sell the remaining Napocor assets since there will be no dificulty in securing purchase contracts with the only remaining POWERFUL power company, Aboitiz Equity Ventures. No more future Masinlocs, Transcos, Mitras, and Meralcos.
With the generation, transmission, and now distribution (soon, maybe fuel, too!) under the exclusive control of the same greedy groups and Mafia families, this whole friggin cursed nation of syndicates and ninety million cowards should cease to exist.
PHOTOS: 1) A new rice variety developed by IRRI; 2)Vietnam rice being unloaded from a cargo ship; 3)NFA Rice in a warehouse - what shortage?; 4)An IRRI Techie inspects her specimens; 5)An MF tractor my company sold to IRRI; 6)A farmer carrying seedlings on the way to the farm. (Photos courtesy of IRRI's Flickr site)
I was prompted by what I saw in the news last night. It was about a farmer who belongs to a group that plans to skip the next palay (rice) planting season. Though the focus of the news was only about the high cost of irrigation, I'm sure it's not the only reason they are doing so.
Seeds, the high end variety that is, I am told have been suspiciously missing since there are tons of Gloria’s “hybrid” variety rotting away in some NFA warehouse government is pushing Central Luzon farmers into buying. The natural course is that the regular seeds will demand higher prices OR they buy the cheaper but riskier hybrid which, when attacked by virus, kills wide tracts of palay-planted farms in a matter of days.
Next, irrigation. Farmers have been complaining about the cost of electricity used to pump water into their fields. At P9,000 per hectare, this amount reflects very high energy cost per hectare compared to our neighboring countries. Fuel price increases is one of the culprits here. Another is the incompetence of Napocor in managing its assets that is pushing maintenance costs sky-high thus, more expensive power.
We go now to fertilizers. Sulfur and pyrite (fool’s gold) are abundant but unmined. Sulfur mining in particular has been somewhat restrained after 9/11 since large volumes of sulfuric acid may be considered WMD. We have huge stocks of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potassium. Especially phosphate, since we have the whole phosphate rock-island Republic of Nauru supplying us with the raw materials should our own resources get depleted. Hey, we have even convinced them to relocate in that building at the corner of Buendia and Makati Ave. should the 5,000-man island-nation sink down the Pacific due to over-quarrying. We have Joe Concepcion, as Cory’s Trade Secretary, to thank for (for once) for securing our phosphate supply for at least half a century. I don’t understand why we have a shortage in urea, though. Putting plastic containers in Bayani Fernando’s disgusting pink urinals all over the Metro would be enough to gather urea raw materials. I think.
Post-harvest. The same effects that the high cost of energy have on the service charge of paddy hullers, dryers, separators and polishers. I won’t be surprised farmers would go back to the primitive bilad-bayo-tahip method just to make a modest return. We can also include here the cost of renting hand-tractors or even just the cost of maintaining one, if they own it. Or cheaper still, get a carabao!
Ditto for transporting the crops.
What this all sums up to is a gi-mongous cost increase in rice production amidst a steady NFA buying price of P14.00.
The farmers won’t survive in this situation. I’ve just been to Subic the last weekend and judging by what I saw all throughout Bataan, Zambales, Pampanga and Bulacan, the farmers are in no hurry to prepare the soil for the May planting season. They’d probably wait for the rains before plowing and harrowing to save on tractor rental and irrigation cost.
Wow! We’ve just been teleported back to the 19th century!
I have to give it to the Americans, the way they make fun of their leaders in the wittiest of political satire (or the extreme distastefulness in many cases) if you had them here, lawyers will have a field day with libel cases. My personal favorite is Daniel Kurtzman whose blog is updated with the latest quips from late-night TV hosts like David Letterman, Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart and others, is a great source of the latest jokes on political scandals and sleaze.
The past weeks' jokes centered mainly on the Obama-Clinton primaries, with Hillary getting the most flak out of lying about her "landing amid sniper fire in Bosnia", and Obama's anti-American pastor. We also saw the sex-scandals of the the neighboring governors - New York's Elliot Spitzer and New Jersey's Jim McGreevey, and later on David Paterson, the blind guy who replaced Spitzer.
Spitzer, we all know, was caught by the FBI wiretaps as Client No. 9 who paid prostitutes costing up to $5,000 an hour from Emperor's Club. Just a few days ago, a Brazilian madam claims Spitzer paid to watch couples having sex.
McGreevey, resigned after he was caught sending sexy emails to an assistant and later admitted he was gay. His assistant also claims he had threesomes with the ex-governor and his wife.
The new NY Gov, Paterson, a few hours after swearing in also admitted to having several extra-marital affairs and the wife, surprise, admitted similar things, too!
Also in the compilation is Sen. John McCain, the Republican shoo-in whose age is the target of most jokes.
There is some sprinkling about Bush, Cheney, and some others.
Here goes, enjoy!
"I guess this is good news. Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has reportedly entered therapy for a sex addiction. Spitzer said his therapy is going well, and that his therapist has a fantastic rack." --Conan O'Brien
"In New Jersey today, there were dangerous winds, with gusts up to 50 miles an hour. The winds were so strong that they blew former Governor McGreevey off his chauffeur." --Conan O'Brien
"Well, of course, this Sunday is Easter. Of course, Easter is that very, very holy day when Christians around the world honor a 2,000-year-old Jewish man who is not Larry King." --Conan O'Brien
"A big insurance company just announced they will give $10 million to anyone who can invent a car that gets 100 miles per gallon. Meanwhile, Exxon says they'll give $11 million to anyone who kills that guy." --Conan O'Brien
Aren't you proud of America today, ladies and gentlemen, that we're fighting for the Supreme Islamic Council? That's why we sent our troops there. And Bush said even though the Iraqis are fighting the Iraqis, luckily, a civil war has not broken out." --Bill Maher
"Sinbad was the one who busted her on this. He contradicted her whole story. Boy, what a pair they make, huh? A once popular celebrity from the '90s whose star is fading fast and Sinbad." --Bill Maher
"More problems for Governor Eliot Spitzer. The New York Post reporting that he has been identified as a long-term client of a second call girl ring called Wicked Models, and his favorite call girl was $1,000 an hour, a girl named Kristin 'Billie' Davis. You know what this means? He was cheating on his hooker with another hooker. Oh, man. In guy world, that is the lowest!" --Jay Leno
"The mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, has been charged with perjury after he got caught sending his chief of staff text messages about having sex. Yeah. He's also being investigated for having strippers at the mayor's mansion. And, of course, people are shocked. Detroit has a mayor's mansion? They're calling this the worst thing to come out of Detroit since the Ford Pinto." --Jay Leno
"Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama vacationing now in the Virgin Islands. It's been a while since anyone's used the words 'Democrats' and 'virgin' in the same sentence. You just don't hear that these days." --Jay Leno
"I love this story. I saw it in the paper today. Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer will explore whether he has an addiction to sex. Oh, shut up. Is sex really an addiction? Is it a disease? Do you think it's a disease? Huh? I mean, I've heard people call into work sick. Can you call in horny?" --Jay Leno
"And it's getting worse and worse for Governor Spitzer. Now, a Brazilian madam has come forward to say that Eliot Spitzer paid her to watch other couples have sex. You know, this whole thing could've been avoided if you put a peep hole in the lieutenant governor's office. That way, he could've watched David Paterson have his affairs and saved five grand an hour." --Jay Leno
"In more serious news, big controversy last week after State Department officials looked at passport files of all three major candidates. Turns out, they got a hold of John McCain's Social Security number. Got his social security number. You know what it is? Three." --Jay Leno
"Well, here's the big brouhaha. Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson ... still thinks he's loyal to the Clinton family, despite endorsing Barack Obama. Loyal. He just endorsed Barack. Even Bill was more faithful to Hillary than that." --Jay Leno
"Actually, the reason this is such a big story is that Bill Richardson was a member of the Clinton cabinet. And Clinton adviser James Carville ... on Good Friday, he called Bill Richardson a Judas. Called him a Judas. Well, you know, there are a lot of biblical references in this race. Now they're calling Bill Clinton 'Jonah' because he was once swallowed by a whale." --Jay Leno
"Yesterday in New York, everybody was in the Easter spirit. As a matter of fact, former governor Eliot Spitzer, he was in the Easter spirit. He spent the day with someone named Bunny." --David Letterman
"Did you hear about this? Two State Department employees were fired -- this is a bit of a scandal -- because they were looking at Barack Obama's passport file. Not only that, but the same person was also looking at John McCain's Civil War records." --David Letterman
"This week, John McCain received a warm welcome in Israel. He was in Israel. You know, he is hugely popular in Israel ever since he stood with the Jewish people against the pharaoh. They've never forgotten." --Jay Leno
"Have you heard about this? Playgirl magazine made an offer to Eliot Spitzer to appear naked in the magazine. Isn't that unbelievable? I tell you, you know who really wants to see that spread? Former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey." --Jay Leno
"In Tibet, the rumor is the Dalai Lama might be stepping down. Yeah, it turns out he was Client Number 11." --Jay Leno
"The good news is ... on YouTube, the Obama speech now is getting watched more than the clips of the pastor. ... The bad news is that it's still far behind the footage of Spitzer's hooker on 'Girls Gone Wild.'This chick is everywhere. I swear to God, she won 'American Idol.' ... The last person to get this famous for f------ some idiot was Kevin Federline." --Bill Maher
"And now the New York Post says that Eliot Spitzer is in therapy for sex addiction. I'm not sure he really understands the process. Today, he requested an analyst with really big tits." --Bill Maher
"And today, John McCain was in England, where he visited his birthplace, Stonehenge." --Jay Leno
"Well, we have former presidential candidate John Edwards on the show tonight. He ran a terrific campaign. His No. 1 issue, of course, was the poor and those who live in poverty. Or, as we call them now, Bear Sterns stockholders." --Jay Leno
"And that high-priced call girl, Ashley Dupre, the one that was having sex with Governor Spitzer, has reportedly lost a $1 million offer to pose nude because old nude photos have popped up on the Internet. So let that be a lesson to all you young women out there. Don't ever think of posing nude until after you're a successful hooker." --Jay Leno
"Vice President Dick Cheney also in Iraq this week. Cheney told the Iraqi government that their leaders have to show some progress on both their domestic and economic fronts. And the Iraqis said to Cheney, 'Uh, you first.'" --Jay Leno
"Bush also went on to say that Bear Stearns is just going through a tough time and victory's just around the corner. ... I don't want to say Wall Street is in financial trouble. You know who's in charge of Bear Stearns right now, you know who's running it? Britney Spears' dad." --Jay Leno
"Interesting fact came out today on the new $5 bill. It turns out it used to be the old $10 bill." --Jay Leno
"As you know, yesterday, Barack Obama gave a big speech on race, and there was one heckler in the audience, kept screaming crazy stuff the whole time. Turns out it was his pastor." --Jay Leno
"One of the women Paterson had an affair with was a state employee. He said he tried to end the affair, but since she was a state employee, there was so much paperwork involved, it was just easier to just keep banging her." --Jay Leno
"As you know, Governor Paterson is legally blind, which has gotta be an advantage when you're having an affair. This way, when your wife catches you in bed with another woman, you go, 'Honey, I thought it was you.'" --Jay Leno
"According to a new study by scientists at Clemson University, almost 3,000 bacteria are transferred every time you double-dip something. More bad news for New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey." --Jay Leno
"That's the other big scandal on the East Coast. A male aide to former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey says the governor's wife should have known he was gay, because they all used to have three-way sex together. As he called it, a 'McThreevey.'" --Jay Leno
"So, let's see, Jim McGreevey was having three-ways. Eliot Spitzer was having sex with prostitutes. The new governor, David Paterson, was having an affair. You realize the only politician in New York not getting any sex -- Hillary Clinton." --Jay Leno
"Are you fold excited about March Madness? You know, here's how it works. We go from 65 to 32, then to 16, and then to eight and -- well, no, no, that's -- those are Hillary Clinton's superdelegates." --David Letterman
"I was thinking about this today. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and what a contest for the Democratic presidential nomination. Kind of exciting, isn't it? They've got a lot in common. Hillary and Barack have a great deal in common. Both are lawyers, both are senators and neither one is sleeping with Bill Clinton." --David Letterman
"There are technically now so many sex scandals in New York, it's hard for me to keep track of them. Are you having the same trouble? ... Every day you pick up the paper, there's a new revelation. This is the latest. Today, it was revealed that Eliot Spitzer's call girl, Ashley Dupre, appeared in a 'Girls Gone Wild' video when she was 18. Yeah, when asked about it, Ashley said, 'That was during my embarrassing pre-hooker days.'" --Conan O'Brien
"It's now being reported that the former governor of New Jersey took part in several threesomes involving his wife and his chauffeur. Yeah. So, it's your move, Spitzer. --Conan O'Brien
"I'm sick at heart over the disturbing revelations about the newly installed New York Governor David Paterson. Evidently, he cheated on his wife as well. But specifically what disturbs me is where he cheated [on screen: news anchor saying, 'The Daily News says Paterson carried out the affair at the Days Inn on New York's Upper West Side']. The Days Inn up on Broadway and 94th? I mean, the man is blind. You know that heightens his sense of smell. I hope he at least put one of pine tree air fresheners around his neck. Governor, if you are going to indulge, indulge. Cheating at the Days Inn is like going off your diet for a tootsie roll ... at the Days Inn." --Stephen Colbert
"Did you folks get drunk on St. Patrick's Day? I think maybe I had a little too much to drink yesterday. I don't remember what happened exactly, but I woke up this morning between former Governor Jim McGreevey and his wife." --David Letterman
"Vice President Dick Cheney, you know where he is right now? He's in Baghdad. He visited there. While he was in Iraq, he said that it's a successful endeavor. At least I think that's what he said. It was hard to hear over the explosions." --David Letterman
"There was one bit of good news for the economy earlier today. At the last minute, a large investment bank was rescued at the last minute. It was adopted by Angelina Jolie." --David Letterman
"This is the latest on the Spitzer scandal. Details are still coming forward. It's been reported that the prostitute involved in the Eliot Spitzer scandal was once hired by Charlie Sheen, but Sheen is denying it. Yeah. Because it turns out Sheen has an air-tight alibi. He was with three other hookers at the time." --Conan O'Brien
"John McCain's daughter is in the news. John McCain's daughter says that a lot of guys don't want to date her because her dad makes her too high-profile. Yeah. That's part of the reason. It's also because McCain's daughter is 63 years old. ... Her name is Mable. She was a nurse in the Korean War. Lovely girl." --Conan O'Brien
"Even President Bush starting to get worried about this economy being out of control, you know. I mean, gold is over $1,000 an ounce. Oil, $1,100 a barrel. Hookers, $5,000 an hour." --Jay Leno
"I've been watching that John Adams miniseries on HBO. You seen this? Boy, it's really good. You know, it's fun to see all the Founding Fathers. They're all in it. John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John McCain" --Jay Leno
"A Happy St. Patrick's Day to everybody! Amazing, over 300 sober people. You never see that on St. Patrick's Day. Everybody's wearing green. The only place you didn't see any green today, Wall Street." --Jay Leno
"Another political sex scandal in the New York area in the papers today. Unbelievable what's going on lately. This is the latest. A man who used to be the chauffeur for New Jersey's former governor, Jim McGreevey, is claiming that he used to have three-way sex with McGreevy and his wife. Yeah. True story. When asked about it, McGreevey said, 'That's a lie. I would never have had sex with my wife.'" --Conan O'Brien
"It was an exciting day up in Albany. At the governor's mansion earlier today, women were outside of the governor's mansion wearing buttons that read 'Kiss me, I'm $4,000.'" --David Letterman
"I don't know if you are aware of this, but tragedy at the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Mayor Bloomberg -- what's his first name? ... Yeah, was marching in the parade and he was hit, hit by a jumping stockbroker." --David Letterman
"A lot of American dignitaries visiting the Middle East. Senator McCain, running for president, is in Iraq. ... Of course, he remembers Iraq when it was known as Mesopotamia." --David Letterman
"It looks like the Democratic field really starting to get narrowed down. For Democrats, it's going to be Barack Obama versus Hillary. So, it's a black man or a white woman. You know, this is the same decision Michael Jackson has to make every morning of his life." --Jay Leno
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has just come out with its new pastoral letter after a 10-hour emergency meeting, just weeks after calling for "communal action" - whatever that means. As usual, the bishops' decision was hailed by Malacañang as it did not succumb to mounting pressure to ask for Gloria's resignation.
It did come out however, with a six point apostolic manifesto:
Beloved People of God:
Greetings in the peace of the Lord!
Today in the midst of restlessness and confusion, we come to you as pastors, for that is our precise role. We do not come as politicians whose vocation it is to order society towards the common good. Our message contributes to the flourishing of a democracy which must not be built only on political formulae.
We face today a crisis of truth and the pervading cancer of corruption. We must seek the truth and we must restore integrity. These are moral values needing spiritual and moral insights.
Therefore, we address this pastoral statement to everyone particularly you our beloved people and in a special way to our political rulers and officials.
We are convinced that the search for truth in the midst of charges and allegations must be determined and relentless, and that the way to truth and integrity must be untrammeled, especially at the present time when questions about the moral ascendancy of the present government are being raised.
For this reason, we strongly:
1. Condemn the continuing culture of corruption from the top to the bottom of our social and political ladder;
2. Urge the President and all the branches of government to take the lead in combating corruption wherever it is found;
3. Recommend the abolition of EO 464 so that those who might have knowledge of any corruption in branches of government, may be free to testify before the appropriate investigating bodies;
4. Ask the President to allow her subordinates to reveal any corrupt acts, particularly about the ZTE-NBN deal, without being obstructed in their testimony no matter who is involved;
5. Appeal to our senators and the ombudsman to use their distinct and different powers of inquiry into alleged corruption cases not for their own interests but for the common good;
6. Call on media to be a positive resource of seeking the truth and combating corruption by objective reporting without bias and partiality, selective and tendentious reporting of facts;
For the long term we reiterate our call for “circles of discernment” at the grassroots level, in our parishes, Basic Ecclesial Communities, recognized lay organizations and movements, religious institutions, schools, seminaries and universities. It is through internal conversion into the maturity of Christ through communal and prayerful discernment and action that the roots of corruption are discovered and destroyed. We believe that such communal action will perpetuate at the grassroots level the spirit of People Power so brilliantly demonstrated to the world at EDSA I. It is People Power with a difference. From the grassroots will come out a culture of truth and integrity we so deeply seek and build. We instruct our CBCP Commissions to take active role including networking for this purpose.
May the Lord bless us in this sacred undertaking to build a new kind of Philippines and may our Blessed Mother be our companion and guide in this journey to truth and integrity.
For and on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines:
+Angel Lagdameo, D.D. Archbishop of Jaro President, CBCP February 26, 2008
During the several times in the past seven years when the CBCP virtually rescued Gloria from one scandal to another, I have kept true to my faith and continued to respect those who represented my religion.
But this act of the CBCP, whose members are supposed to be the highest of our spiritual shepherds, was the proverbial last straw. I cannot accept the CBCP statement that goads the flock into following a leader that is constantly pushing them to the end of the hill.
I strongly condemn this statement which asks the Resident Evil to even lead the moral crusade in fighting corruption when this Bitch is the one that is most corrupt.
I vomit at the sheer hypocrisy of the Bishops' condemnation of corruption when they have not even lifted a finger against their own who have placed my religion in a despicable and scandalous position by accepting bribes themselves thus abetting further corruption.
I deplore the Bishops' indifference toward the deafening vox populi who for seven years have blindly obeyed their pastorals and restrained their indignation despite the continuing impunity of the agents of Satan, people now want a change to moral leaders but look who's stopping them.
I reject the devise by which the Bishops want us to arrive at the truth - more open investigations, less media, less fanfare, more evidence, more witnesses - when the truth has been staring them in the eye all along. The Bishops seemed to have been convinced that the "legal" truth is the "real" truth.
The real problem of Philippine society has now turned from political to moral. The religious, for many of the rural folks, are the only educated people they happen to interact with that every word they say is gospel truth, no pun there, and when they look up to them not only for spiritual guidance but for other aspects of their existence, I can't imagine what values such religious workers could possibly inculcate when guided by the CBCP's stupidity.
In view of these, and after searching deep inside my soul, I will now commit to break loose from the chain of command of the Roman Catholic Church, and take all matters regarding my faith on a personal level and directly with my Creator.
I will not receive the sacraments administered by priests whose leaders have effectively conspired and colluded with, abetted and propagated, the works of evil.
I will not attend mass nor will I receive penance and communion until such time that the bishops acknowledge this mistake and make amends to correct it.
Finally, I call on all Catholics to join me in this undertaking. We want change don't we, and whether with or without the bishops, we owe it to our country and our children who deserve a just and free society, that we destroy the manacles of despotism and tyranny, terminate the deadly diseases of cheating and lying, and eradicate the unmoderated greed of the ruling kleptocrats armed only with genuine patriotism and shielded by unblemished truth.
It is time for the pResident Evil, Gloria Dorovobitch, to cut and cut clean.
The latest entry in Pinoy Press' blog is the second installment in Lozada's testimony, the first part which took all of 8 hours Friday and had everyone glued to their radios and TVs. It was a phenomenal blockbuster. This revelation by Black and White Movement's Enteng Romano is as explosive as Glorietta and the Batasan blasts put together.
What’s good that would come out of Enteng’s decision to preeempt whatever "accident" that may happen in the Senate in today's hearings, by publishing this writeup by Senate witness Jun Lozada, and it’s now out in the open, there is now the opportunity to read these statements into the records of the Senate:
1. Arroyo casually told him (Neri) to ignore it (Abalos’ bribery attempt) and work for its recommendation for approval anyway.
2. When he (Neri) tried to reason that it may not be accommodated in the Chinese ODA package because it has been filled up with a list of projects already, (Gloria) Arroyo again ordered him to remove the low cost housing project and some water project to accommodate the ZTE-NBN deal in the ODA loan.
3. When he (Neri) attempted to reason that it may not be approved in time for the Boao Forum which was only two days to go from that fateful April day, (Gloria) Arroyo with raised voice told him to include the ZTE-NBN project in the agenda of the following day’s meeting of a combined NEDA Board and Cabinet Committee, who as expected promptly approved the project paving the way for the contract signing between ZTE and DOTC in China the next day.
Logically, the immediate question that would be asked of Lozada is, “Do you confirm what Enteng Romano said that it was you who wrote this?” And as Lozada answers in the positive, official Senate records would reflect another wrongdoing attributed to the administration, with Gloria explicitly named as the perpetrator.
And let us not be fooled that the truth is hinged on Lozada’s testimony alone. It was exposed first by JDV3 in the past hearings, suggested by Jarius Bondoc in many past columns, hinted at by Neri himself, and soon, a few more witnesses who have been part of the botched NBN deal. I also have this feeling it had been intimated already by Neri himself in that eventful executive session since the palace hacks in the Senate are threatening anyone who divulges the same with removal from the chamber.
These three things are very damaging in itself, let alone the accompanying death threats and “soft-touch” kidnapping that had been committed in the cover-up of the huge commissions that would have been pocketed by a few brokers, cronies, and spouse.
The inevitable end has come for the large scale plunder of the nation’s wealth never before seen in this damned country’s history, the brazeness of how it was carried out, the accompanying arrogance by which truth was muzzled, the wholesale destruction of all institutions that embody true democratic values, and the unbelievable criminal ends by which we, the people, are made to suffer to break our collective spirit so that this marauding syndicate calling itself government can further strengthen its grip on a country successfully terrorized by its own leaders.
All laws whether universal, human, and divine, have been violated. Sure, they can twist the man-made rules to fit their diabolic interests. But not those that were established by the physical universe, moreso those by the Omnipotent Being who created everything.
Last night the calls for "Change!" reverberated throughout the walls of Bastusang Pambansa. I thought the bribes were not enough they were even asking for coins. But no, it was the vote for declaring loss-of-confidence over the five-time Speaker, Jose De Venecia, Jr. Just like many times before, the thieves-in-the-night worked while the people were sleeping. This time, they stole his chair. JDV had just been Obama'd.
The conspirators probably never thought it would lead to this. JDV was never expected to bitch against their queen! Did they miscalculate the situation? As it now stands, JDV has manifested to tell more in the coming days. That's one big headache.
JDV is not known for being a warrior. He is more of a peacemaker, usually going all out to build consensus, striking compromises favorable to all sides. A backdoor negotiator. And last night it was his backdoor that got screwed. Big time.
But take a final stand against Gloria? I don’t think so.
Whatever aces he has up his sleeves will be played by the next guy he passes it to. And the Arroyos are determined to punish him some more. And by hitting JDV, it would be impossible not to hurt the puppet-master on whose lap this dummy sits on. FVR will be a an unavoidable corollary target once the Pig of a family begins the all-out offensive.
But FVR and his boys are all prepared. Even he saw it coming ever since the ZTE investigations took center stage it would be foolish to assume they will all just take it sitting down. Carague has been in COA for the longest time, I guess, clearing all tracks FVR and company may have left behind in such deals as Fort Bonifacio sale, Napocor-IPP contracts, Centennial Expo, PEA-Amari, the numerous privatization deals, among many. While doing so, he may have also digged enough dirt to bury the Arroyos alive.
And there’s Edong Ermita who’s finally getting shorted by Puno very very soon, Ermita holds as much “state secrets” in his Malacañang closet than any one’s ever seen. You then have all these AFP generals who are indebted to Tabako and his subalterns. And many many other FVR boys still well-entrenched and for so long may have gathered enough artillery in their arsenal to see this war through.
FVR’s legacy, and the strings that hold all his puppets together - the Lakas party - will be dangerously threatened by Kampi’s freshly-sharpened scissors he can’t risk being jettisoned to oblivion. I don’t see any political future for the likes of Lakas stalwarts Bunye, Apostol, Alvarez, etc. unless, of course, they start shedding their chameleon scales and begin their exodus toward the new forest and join the other beasts where the foliage is greener (or haven’t they, already?). Kampi will be the new Billionaire Boys’ Club.
Though I’m not convinced Lakas as a whole, or whatever remains of it, will confront the palace by the murky river head-on the way JDV did last night based on those may-I-explain-my-vote speeches, JDV die-hards are on a war path, their lips still bitter from the taste of the latest conspiracy. They have nothing more to lose - they have sacrificed their committee positions and the perks that go with those by professing “principled” loyalty for JDV - but they can choose to settle the score by making life difficult for the traitors and their principals. This will make the coming days very very exciting.
JDV may not be the most credible in his gang, but if you have more acceptable people confirming and substantiating his charges, maybe, just maybe, the moral revolution may indeed take off.
Ex-Speaker JDV has removed his finger plugging the small hole in the dike. Will the dam come crumbling down?
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been hailed as a champion in the fight for the preservation of human rights by the Universidad de Alcala de Henares during her recent visit to Spain where she took in her entourage about 40 legislators, their lezbo/homo lovers, sons and daughters, sweethearts, spouses, etc., which many people claim were charged to the pockets of the Filipino taxpayer.
But that was adding insult to injury, and definitely it was way too stupid for the shameless school officials not to know that there exists rapporteur Philip Alston's report to the UN about the government's complicity in in human rights violations in the country, and worse, state-sponsored extrajudicial killings of about 800+ activists, priests, and NGO workers by government agents.
But that is not the end of it. There are similar upcoming awards for Gloria prepared by her Ambassadors:
1. Maire honorifique de Pussy (Honorary Mayor of Pussy)
Pussy is a small village in the commune of La Léchère, Savoie, Rhône-Alpes, France. Aside from the symbolic key, she will be given a huge, panoramic photo of Pussy, courtesy of Penthouse Magazine.
2. Fucking Tochter (Fucking Daughter)
Fucking is a village in Tarsdorf, Innviertel Region, Austria. Fucking is 30 mins. away from Petting, a border town of Bavaria in Germany, and an hour away from Kissing, a municipality in the Aichach-Friedberg district also in Bavaria. A gold medallion with her profile specially-coined by the Fucking Bank will be awarded in the Fucking Plaza upon her scheduled visit by the Fucking Mayor. Free transport will be provided via the old route: Kissing -> Petting -> Fucking.
Again, like Universidad de Alcala de Henares, her "Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation of Human Rights" as the inscription was carved in a bronze bust, will be presented to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Christmas Day by the sculptor, no less.
The life-size masterpiece called "Hell's Angel" was done by renowned sculptor Satan Claus who is a genuine descendant of the Christmas figure who migrated from Finland (and built his tribe in Hell, a village in Stjørdal, Norway). Due to previous commitments, Gloria cannot personally accept the award but has asked her spouse to meet with Satan in Hell to receive it.
4. Полушелковая ткань с шерстью , Наш Гордый Усыновленный Дочь (Shitka: Gloria, Our Proud Adopted Daughter)
Shitka, a city, in Irkutskaya Oblast, Russia in conferring an award to Gloria for her being resolute in her anti-corruption crusade. Her work was acknowledged as she has shown dedication to pursue grafters and the corrupt in her administration by creating a task force every time a large scandal rocks her government. Her commitment has finally hauled in a big fish, a former President at that, but Shitka's residents have not been informed that he was pardoned. Her government's huge budget for these efforts was considered foremost in selecting this year's winner. The government has so far convicted three people since she took power in 2001.
The unveiling of the cenotaph in Shitka's Krook Memorial, which is carved in a black monolith will be witnessed by the Philippine Ambassador to Russia who will clap to chants of "Shitka! Gloria!", as dictated by tradition.
5. Crookstown's Best
The village of Crookstown in Cork, Ireland is presenting Gloria a Gold Medal for the economic miracle she has achieved for her country.
Referring to "manufacturing figures" as the top criterion, this town known originally for its brand of "Irish pun" has bestowed awards in the past for West African Presidents of Togo and Benin, which are both being elevated to the Hall of Fame for winning the award five for times. Insiders say that Gloria will be next year's runaway sole winner.
More awards next year
There are other awards that our ambassadors have announced that have been inspired by the Medalla de Oro given to Gloria just recently by Universidad de Alcala de Henares in Spain, for her meritorious championing of Human Rights. Mostly selected by Mayors and City/Town Councils, the following have expressed their intention and formally invited the Awardee and her hundred-plus entourage to attend the corresponding ceremonies:
- Nakao, the main island of the southernmost Japanese island group, represented by their governor - for government transparency.
- Slut, a city in Vasterbotten, Sweden represented by City Council - will award the Top Slut for outstanding leaders in foreign affairs
- Crap, in Tirane, Albania represented by the Crap Press Club President - will award The Best of Crap for the best-written speeches related to freedom of speech and of the press.
- Colegio de Feces de Abaixo (College of Lower Feces) in Galiza, Spain - honorary degree, Master of Pubic Administration
- Shit, in Mazandaran, Iran represented by the Tehran Press Club - plaque for winning Shit's Finest, an award similar to Crap
- Bollock, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines represented by school superintendent for public schools - to present the headdress for Anak ng Bollock, honorary tribal royalty ornament for her creativity in solving the classroom shortage in the country
After all these medals and plaques, she will undoubtedly beat Marcos, nah, even a Christmas Tree in terms of decoration!
I posted this in Ellen Tordesillas' blog in response to a post that the "rebels" didn't get the public's sympathy:
It was not sympathy they [Trillanes and Lim] were after. They got all the sympathy they need. They want to see how far the people are willing to take it. The politicians were purposely kept out of it because the duo wanted to gauge purely the civilians. They chose the people whom they were calling and the politicians were not it. Sure, they had their constituents, especially Binay, Trinidad or JV who can fill the streets in a matter of minutes, but methinks this act was limited to the covenant between Trillanes and his voters, Lim and his troops.
It scared the shit out of Esperon and his henchmen, they had to give way to Ronnie Puno and his patolas because he was trembling stiff. He even had to make sure the ten truckloads of reinforcements that came the next day from Nueva Ecija were HIS.
Why, are the camps in Aguinaldo, Bonifacio, Villamor and Roxas Blvd. (all capable of arriving in twenty minutes or less) already sympathetic to the rebels? Or is the military puzzle that the two dropped on their laps too tough to crack they had to step back to the cops? They had to get a warrant of re-arrest to quell a coup d’etat, bah! Think!
If there’s anyone laughing in Esperon’s, hell, Gloria’s, camp, he ought to have his head checked.
I was asking earlier if there have been confirmation that the missing PAF jet actually crashed around Palawan because if there were none, I believe it’s the reason Esperon has personally gone to Malaysia.
Definitely it’s not about bussing-in a million-or-so paid rallyists carrying packed lunch! That’s what the simpletons believe. Let them.
This is genuine. The citizens’ awakening that will stay for good and not like the 2 EDSAs that went awry as fast at they happened. They were willing to avoid the shortcuts. The people chose to stay. They had to obey. They will just lick their wounds and fight another day.
No sir. It’s not over yet, not by a long shot.
And this :
It’s Esperon who had the most shit on his face after the incident. Malacañang cannot even trust him now to guard his prisoners they want the “rebels” transferred to Muntinlupa. It isn’t difficult to see who won the hearts of the man in uniform, it was those who had the balls!
UPDATE (Dec. 4, 2007 9:20 a.m.)
Cool! Look at these links and be right in the middle of the action. (Requires Quick Time Player):
The "incident" at Peninsula isn't as simple as many people think it is.
Why do I say that? The plan was executed off what seems to me an old and complicated, all-encompassing multi-layered, multi-option plan. Oh no, it was not a plain withdrawal-people-power-surrender affair at all.
While many continue their worthless pettifogging cheap shots at Trillanes for falling in the same ditch twice, ditto General Lim (he had been recorded and seen reading a similar withdrawal of support last year), they fail to recognize or even just attempt to acquire some degree of sophistication by looking at the execution of the plan from a plane higher than what their boring, simplistic minds can be capable of.
These acts of the duo are preliminary steps in a rigid road-map that details the transformation of this materialistic, corrupt, uncaring and self-centered, backward-sliding society. It is not against Gloria alone. Nor is it for the present times only. Perhaps, it is only now that the time has come when some of the players have achieved a more influential role in the realm of politics, and society as a whole, to effect the outcome of such a master plan.
Although many strategists (okay, let's include political pundits who are bloggers, too) are dismissing the effectiveness of such actions, even calling the failure a result of "people power fatigue" (if such an animal really exists), I have yet to hear someone say, "Hey that's that's step two, of chapter three of the National Recovery Program!" Or whatever plan it is called. Even Gringo is keeping mum, that's his blueprint, in action, right there!
I said "rigid" because the steps were no different from that of the Magdalos' Oakwood plus this time, they made sure the "undelivered" withdrawal of support Gen. Lim recorded last year was officially declared. Why then are these so important that these antecedent acts had to be repeated? Because these are kickoff activities that would result in the implementation of the next stage of the conflict. They have caught every one's attention. The message has been delivered quite clearly: that there will always be moral guardians in the military if and only when the helpless civilians have fallen indifferent or simply cowed by fear. That's the reason they are labeled messianic. As if messiahs ARE the evil ones. As if they ARE the people's real enemies.
Any marketing professional knows his AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. The four stages are carefully designed, complete with fall-backs, auto-responses and scripted pitches very much like those annoying telemarketers who drive you crazy because they are saying all the right things you are left with just all the lame excuses, if not buying their products right then and there! In the end, you may not realize it but you find yourself agreeing with them.
This is the pattern I read in these activities. Why repeat where you failed before? The idea is not that you are expected to act immediately, the Trillanes-Lim plan works much like a raingauge. It is a method of measurement, at the same time it rubs in, or more significantly, nails in, in a calculated manner the ideals of the movement, what it aims to achieve, how it plans to get there. Later, it provides the details how your personal involvement will make it necessary for the movement - the social transformation of the country - to succeed with everybody else in. Not just the elite politicians.
The reactionary government saw it the way I did, they know the unheeded call to gather at Manila Pen was not the end of it. They knew the act had to be sustained by forces not limited to the incarcerated officers or the commands they previously held. The "A" has been achieved and the "I" is about to begin. What keeps Malacañang guessing is the timetable of the execution. Is the "Interest"-soliciting group coming out hours after Peninsula? Or the next day? Or the next month? They didn't have many choices so they took the more conservative option, also the less-riskier one: to assume that the next wave will happen in the next hours or probably coincide with the next day's Bonifacio Day rallies, hence, the declaration of curfew and setting up of roadblocks and intensified checkpoints.
It would be foolish to assume Trillanes and company didn't know how gov't would react, blockade of absolutely all roads leading to Manila Pen IS the elementary response!
What they didn't know is that, in the ongoing word war between the incarcerated officers in Fort Bonifacio and Tanay on one hand versus Esperon and his camp on the other, it was jellyfish Esperon who will turn sissy first and hide his tail between his legs.
A few weeks ago, Esperon had been provoked by the Tanay group of Querubin, Miranda and Lim to tell all about Hello Garci and his cheating participation as a response after he tried to scare them that he will come out with the video of Lim's supposed announcement of declaration of their withdrawal of support in February of 2006. Nakakalalaki na ang hamunan. Who will blink first?
Lim did it again, this time live on national TV while clueless Esperon was watching (adoring?) his new recruit, Manny Pacquiao, on the latter's first military service day somewhere in Mindanao. Lim's act in Peninsula, therefore, was a continuance of their challenge to Esperon to come clean with the charges of cheating in Hello Garci. Lim et al have done their part, it was now up to Esperon to do his. Esperon defaulted. As far as Lim and Trillanes are concerned, their score with Esperon has been settled, they are the macho soldiers, Esperon was the weakling. And they did it even if they were under heavy guards. A big open-palm slap on Esperon's face.
Why was Esperon so helpless he seemed like a faggot? The Magdalos and the Tanay officers know it, Esperon cannot take the bait and risk sending his troops to pulverize the duo in the hotel. He doesn't know anymore who's still with him. All he needs to do is send the Army, Air Force or the Marines (stationed in adjacent cities Taguig and Pasay) who will be in Manila Pen in less than 20 minutes, or the Navy in Roxas Boulevard who might take just a little bit longer. But no, he didn't know whom to trust at that precise moment, the renegades completed their march from the RTC in JP Rizal St., down the whole of Makati Avenue, and all the way to the corner of Ayala where Peninsula is. Had the camps under him been ordered to, they would have caught up with the marchers before they even reached Buendia (Gil Puyat Ave.) if it's true what they know say that not all of the guards switched camps or that the AFP is solid. We all know now that that is pure hogwash. (Imagine, octogenarians were marching with them! It couldn't even be called a march, at that speed, a procession, maybe!) Those still loyal, if any, had enough time to report and those receiving the report had enough time to respond. But no, the AFP's indecision left them out of the picture and Ronnie Puno's PNP had to take over. And run the show by himself, Puno did. The Philippine Army's thousands-strong response team had to be transported in the next day, coming all the way from Nueva Ecija, haha!
The seeds have been planted in Oakwood, Peninsula watered them. This is going to take a long process but to me, it is better that it takes that longer, more arduous route. We've learned during the past two EDSAs that easily-earned victories were gone as fast as they came, there were shortcuts that opened more holes that the "revolutions" aimed to plug.
Although my personal preference is that this regime be disposed of in a more expeditious manner, the better part of discretion dictates that deliberation, prudence, and conscientiousness will provide superior results in terms of permanence and indestructibility.
Trillanes and Lim and the rest of us are not the losers here. No amount of propaganda and uneducated reasoning elsewhere can convince me otherwise. The losers are the corrupt, the incompetent, the tyrants. The victors are righteousness, idealism and patriotism.
I can sleep well tonight on the thought that my kids will have future leaders that are not rotten to the core, they have their hearts in the right place, and will never be cowed in the fight for truth and justice.
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(If you have nothing better to do, you CAN do it here. But if you have nothing better to say, put tongue in, anew.)
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Gen. Boogie Mendoza, a former Razon protege, and an "acclaimed anti-terrorist expert" (it just happened that a fire of suspicious origin, "suspicious" at least to the instinctive Policewoman Aida Fariscal, gave away "Operation Bojinka" in an Al-Qaeda bomb-making makeshift lab in Ermita leading to the arrests of Murad and '93 WTC Bomber Youzef).
