President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo grants Joseph Ejercito Estrada executive clemency… so many things running through my mind right now.
None of them good. Disturbing. Very.
Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of the painstaking and grueling courtroom drama that was held at the Sandiganbayan for so many years? What about the government’s supposedly hard stance against corruption? What about all those wasted taxpayer’s money which were used to process and fund all these numerous trials?
What now, Philippines?
What now, fellow Filipinos?! Are we really this forgiving?! Haven’t we learned from all our hardships? We are disgraced, laughed at, ridiculed and mocked by fellow nations… and yet what?
Government officials say what they please for the sake of grandstanding… but in the end, settle for unreasonable compromise. For money or what, I don’t know.
Is this how we will always run our so richly earned democracy?
Pinoys, don’t be too hasty in declaring how proud we are of our independence because up till now we haven’t proven anything at all. We haven’t even proven that we deserve the independence that our forefathers have fought tooth and nail for.
This country is riddled by too many unanswered questions, by too much corruption, by one too many self-serving officials. This is not how we intended our nation to turn out.
One revolution after the other… protests, bickering, backbiting, disloyalty, coups, poverty, scandals, etc!
You know what?
Colonialism is really starting to sound good right about now. What say you?
Tags: arroyo, clemency, corruption, crime, erap, estrada, Filipino, gloria, hopeless, joseph, macapagal, pardon, Philippines, Pinoy, plunder, Politics, sandiganbayan
Jon Cabron
wrote,
yan ang tinatawag na moro moro’
kaya hindi nako nagrereact pag ginagawa tayong katatawanan sa ibang bansa e
Link | October 25th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
zerovoltage
wrote,
I’m not pro-pardon … it’s like the president saying sorry “you really didn’t deserve to be ousted, and arrested for your criminal actions”.
the only thing that maybe good about this is “if” he does return all that ill gotten wealth without the hassles, so it doesn’t take years and a gazillion legal proceedings. also it must be the people who should benefit off it! naka naman ibulsa nanaman yan!
zerovoltage’s last blog post..Haunted playground
Link | October 25th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
kengkay
wrote,
i cant believe it
speechless ako…
kengkay’s last blog post..Asan na si Lex?
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 2:15 am
Chuckster
wrote,
@ Jon
Matagal nang “Moro Moro” ang estilo dito sa bansa natin… hindi na tayo natuto… tsk! tsk! tsk!
@ Zerovoltage
I don’t know if GMA thinks she’ll appear noble once she’s pardoned Erap, but right now I think she’s listening to the wrong advisers.
Actually, there’s NOTHING good that will come out of this clemency. You really think Erap will give his wealth up? This is considering he still hasn’t squandered it all…
Don’t bet on it, zero. It ain’t gonna happen.
Gloria is doing this because she needs ALL the support she can get from BOTH fences.
@ Kengkay
Two bombs in one week! Glorietta and the Executive Clemency!
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 2:31 am
Kiko
wrote,
Sa tingin ko kaya binigyan ni Gloria ng pardon si Erap ay para siya rin mabigyan ng pardon kung saka-sakaling siya naman ang humingi kapag di na siya ang nakaupo. Kawawang Juan Dela Cruz, binobola lang ng mga politiko!
Kiko’s last blog post..Dear Alkansiya!
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 5:42 am
Meeya
wrote,
i think this is not in the same league as the glorieta explosion - this pardon is so much worse! by forgiving a plunderer, its akin to saying: we forgive you for stealing billions of hard-earned, much needed taxpayers money, which could have postively impacted millions of our impoverished kababayans. there’s no logical, acceptable justification for this executive action. its just downright disgusting.
(sorry chuckie, first time comment ko medyo masama pa ang loob ko. i wish we “met” under better circumstances. haay!)
Meeya’s last blog post..Bells On His Beard
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Dave Zan
wrote,
The real question is…what will we do?
Dave Zan’s last blog post..Warning: Domain Prices To Go Up Tomorrow!
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
lordmanilastone
wrote,
I am really sick and tired of these political brouhaha\’s in this debt-ridden archipelago. The future of the Filipinos and this country just seems dimmer as ever. Wala na atang pagbabago. I must be a pessimist but too much recidivism is pulling us down, grabe na to, hindi ko matake. ^^
lordmanilastone’s last blog post..Online and Offline
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Chuckster
wrote,
@ Kiko
Probably… that’s another way to perceive it. Gloria need all the support she can get. In the end, it’s STILL all about saving their skins.
@ Meeya
I agree… if you think about it, the clemency has a larger negative effect to the nation than the bombing did (I’m still assuming it’s a “bomb” and NOT an LPG accident).
Yeah, wish we could’ve met under better circumstances… hehehe! Oks lang yun!
@ Dave Zan
Well, seems everything we do is futile. So, what can we “really” do? Anybody ready to start a petition for statehood?
@ Lordmanilastone
I always hear politicians saying “The Philippines will be great again!”… eh kelan ba naging great ang Philippines? Hay!
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Mon
wrote,
Nakakainis na nakakatawa.. pero mas nakakainis… corrupted millions of dollars… meron pang edsa 2, edsa 2… 6 years of court trials using tax payers’ money… proven guilty and convicted naman… tapos biglang sige ok na tayo.. laya ka na… parang mga gago!!!
I love the the Philipinne pero sometimes i feel glad that I no longer live there.
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Chuckster
wrote,
@ Mon
“Moro-Moro” nga talaga, eh… at ang mga pinoy naman napakadaling magpatawad. Nakakahiya tayong lahat!
So goes the saying:
Another saying that comes to mind is:
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
zerovoltage
wrote,
I agree that she’s just trying to play the numbers game and gain some allies … that “if” I put is just there for the benefit of a doubt no matter how close to zero the chances are ;P
zerovoltage’s last blog post..Haunted playground
Link | October 26th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Chuckster
wrote,
@ Zero
Yes… GMA needs all the support she can get. Considering the string of controversies and scandals she and her husband have been involved with… she can’t afford to have any more enemies.
It’s just a pity that most politicians are out to make a quick buck and save their hides when it gets pretty hot under the collar.
Their all the same. All of them. And they wonder why people are itching so bad to leave the Philippines and migrate or work somewhere else? Yes, it’s also because of our standard of living and the measly income our nation’s industry provides… but at the root of it all, everything boils down to corruption. Corruption which sucks all our nation’s riches, our taxes, our blood sweat and tears… our future… our morality. Everything.
Pa-sakop na lang tayo sa US. Mas gusto ko pa yun! Hindi tayo mapapakain ng isang bansang iilan lang ang nakikinabang at walang pakialam sa nakararami.
Link | October 27th, 2007 at 12:47 am
zerovoltage
wrote,
I’d almost like that … as long as we get to keep the way on how we raise our children, and our traditions.
zerovoltage’s last blog post..Spooky stuff 1
Link | October 27th, 2007 at 2:10 am
Chuckster
wrote,
@ zerovoltage
Most definitely! I don’t think “statehood” will change the way we bring up our children nor alter our traditions. Sige… ganun na lang! Mas ok pa. Hehehe…
LOL…
Link | October 27th, 2007 at 2:25 am
Ederic
wrote,
Hi Chuckie,
Salamat sa pagdaan sa isang blog ko.
I agree with you when you wrote “Gloria is doing this because she needs ALL the support she can get from BOTH fences.” Given the series of scandals in her administration, Mrs. Arroyo must really be worried that she could be forced out of the Palace before 2010. Thus, he needs the support of Erap and FPJ loyalists.
But despite all these, I still believe we shouldn’t give up and wish that we belonged na lang to another nation. Narito na tayo, eh. Pangatawanan na natin. Besides, our government’s policies since we earned “independence” in the 1940s have been heavily influenced by the United States. Pero look at where we are now. Pati nga scandals nila, ginagaya natin. They had Watergate, we had Juetenggate–and now Hello Garci, Jocjoc, ZTE, bribery, and others. At sigurado ako, maging Americans man tayo legally through Statehood, we’ll always be treated as second-hand citizens dahil kayumanggi tayo.
Ang isa sa mga paraan para makabangon tayo, ituloy lang ang pagsusumikap para sa pagbabago.
Ginawa natin ang parte natin noong EDSA 2, pero iniisip nating nabigo tayo. Maaaring may kabiguan, but it’s not our fault that the leaders who benefited from People Power betrayed and continue to betray us. Kung kailangang paulit-ulit tayong magsakripisyo, magmartsa, mag-alsa, bakit hindi? Ang mas masama, sabi mo nga ay kung walang gagawin ang mga taong may mabubuting intensyon dahil kapag ganoon, magtatagumpay ang mga kampon ni Fuuma Lear.
At napakarami ng mga taong may mabubuting intensyon at pangarap para sa bansa. Kahit kadalasa’y ilusyon ang pagwawagi ng matutuwid sa eleksyon, may mga nakakalusot pa ring isa o dalawa–meron tayong mga Trillanes, mga Ka Satur, mga Padaca, mga Panlilio, mga Robredo. Kung ang mga ‘yan ay dumami pa at eventually mangibabaw sa gobyerno, baka sakaling makatulong mabago ang bansa. We missed our chance to elect good leaders like Salonga, Roco or Bro Eddie, pero sa susunod baka naman may choices pa tayo–hindi pa sumusuko ang mga taga-Ang Kapatiran, Bayan Muna, Akbayan, halimbawa.
At di lamang sa eleksyon–kahit sa private sector, may mga grupong naghahangad ng pagbabago: nariyan ang Gawad Kalinga, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement ni Sen. Bobbby Tañada, Foundation for Worldwide People Power, Philippine Business for Education at Pathways, ang Black and White Movement–at marami pang iba na binubuo ng mga respetadong tao in the private sector na nagsusulong ng pag-unlad.
If all these forces would unite, enlist the people’s support, and push for a good Philippine Government, baka sakaling kayanin natin. Pinoy pa naman tayo. Makulit, masipag, masikap. Medyo watak-watak nga lamang.
And there are people like you na naghahangad din ng magandang Pilipinas, at dahil sa celebrity status, ay hindi puwedeng hindi pansinin ang mga sinasabi. Aminin mo man o hindi–gaya nga ng sinasabi ko lagi sa isa kong cyberfriend–ang mga sasabihin o isusulat ninyo would always pique the readers’ curiosity. And if influential people like you would rally your friends to support a certain cause–say the cause of nationalism or the environment–I’m sure, may mga mahahatak kayo.
Siyempre, lagi ring nakaantabay ang revolutionary movement–though for most of us, mas acceptable ang peaceful ways for reform.
Siguro kailangan din nating balikan ang 1896, when our nation was born. Alalahanin ang mga aral ng Katipunan, i-review at i-update ang Kartilya nina Bonifacio at Jacinto. Siguradong marami tayong mapupulot.
Kailangan nating labanan ang mga kabalintunaan gaya ng mga kasalukuyang nagaganap para muli nating i-respeto ang ating sarili–ang ating pagka-Pilipino–at di iaasa sa iba ang ating kabutihan.
Ayan, dahil sa pardon issue na yan na isang linggo nang nagpapakulo ng dugo ko, nag-talumpati na ako sa comments section mo. (Sa haba, iba-blog ko na nga rin ito.) Ako naman ang dapat mong gawaran ng pardon sa kakulitang ito, hehe.
Pero ihihirit ko pa rin ang ilang bahagi ng isa sa mga paborito kong article mula sa Tinig.com na isinulat ng kaibigan kong si Jol Ong:
Ederic’s last blog post..Reactions sa absolute pardon kay Erap
Link | October 27th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Chuckster
wrote,
@ Ederic
Hey bro… thanks for the visit and for the looooooong comment post! LOL!
I understand your sentiments completely. Not that I’d want to sound un-nationalistic… it’s just that after everything that has been tried, said, done and thought of… it seems as if nothing has changed in this country. As if all our efforts are for naught.
In as much as my heart feels that someday a sweeping and true reform will come our way, right now that “dream” is not even within sight.
I, too, once shared the same vision and passion you had… but I have been probably dulled by all the government’s false promises, and to add to that, all the bickering, backstabbing and grandstanding each political personality does.
I envy your persistence… you and all the others who keep up the fight and still believe.
Maybe it’s just my emotions taking control of my thoughts that are causing me to feel hopelessness… my words are not to be misinterpreted as a plea for statehood. It was said in the context of comparison in that “statehood” would seem like a better option should our political condition remain like the circus it already is.
I hope and pray that the reform we all so desperately long for comes in the near future… for the sake of our children and our children’s children.
I remain a lover of our country and a supporter of the cause.
But I hope everyone, especially our government, realizes that we, the people, have almost totally exhausted all peaceful means and avenues for true change in this country.
My prayers go out to all of us.
Link | October 27th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Ambo
wrote,
Ano ba naman kayo, di nyo ba nadinig ang sinabi ni Sec. Bunye? “let’s move on”. *go ahead and make your day companerong Bunye!*
This is a test.
Ambo’s last blog post..Erap Pa Rin! (Ang Pagbabalik)
Link | October 29th, 2007 at 12:02 am
Ambo
wrote,
Ano ba naman kayo, di nyo ba nadinig ang sinabi ni Sec. Bunye, “let’s move on” *daw*.
This is my third attempt, now using Firefox. *crossfingers*
Ambo’s last blog post..Erap Pa Rin! (Ang Pagbabalik)
Link | October 29th, 2007 at 12:06 am
psychogoddess
wrote,
It’s so obvious that the pardon is politically motivated–a desperate attempt by the Arroyo administration to hold on to power. How can the people “move on” when we were obviously fooled into believing that there’s still hope for justice in this country?
I am starting to believe that our country really has a warped sense of democracy. I wonder, what kind of morals do these people have that they can easily justify something so WRONG? Kelan pa naging OKAY LANG ang magnakaw at maging corrupt?
psychogoddess’s last blog post..Estrada is pardoned.
Link | October 29th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Chuckster
wrote,
@ Psychogoddess
This will turn out to be a very terrible precedent. Some will think that it is easy to get away with these kinds of crimes.
No matter how you look at it, it really IS a strategic move on Arroyo’s part. And she is trying very desperately hard to make it look justified by enumerating a whole bunch of considerations such as the regular practice of releasing prisoners/convicts once they have reached the age of 70.
What’s worse is that Erap didn’t even get to stay 5 minutes inside his cell! What about all the other prisoners in Bilibid appealing their case which, if you think about it, is nothing compared to Erap’s crime.
They totally betrayed the people’s trust.
Link | October 29th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Ederic
wrote,
@psychogoddess: nakakatawa nga, kung anu-ano pang ginamit na dahilan, obvious naman ang dahilan.
chuckster, ginawa ko palang he si gloria, at naging parang celfon tayo–second-hand citizens. hehe. that should have been she, saka second-class citizens.
thanks for the clarification. minsan talaga, nakakapagod at nakakasawa rin talaga.
buti at nabanggit mo ang prayer. sabi nga sa healourland.ph, mukhang dasal na lang ang makapagliligtas sa atin bansa.
Sabi nga, nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa.
Ederic’s last blog post..Reactions sa absolute pardon kay Erap
Link | October 29th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Chuckster
wrote,
@ Ederic
Hahaha! Oo nga ano… di ko napansin ang typo mo… LOL! Sige… edit ko na lang post mo.
We should never underestimate the power of prayer talaga… in fact, we should turn to prayers FIRST before relying on human capabilities. Too bad most people only consider praying as a “last resort” rather than their first course of action.
Thanks for dropping by again, bro! Punta ka sa EB nating mga WPP soon ha…! Mga December. Pinaplano pa… wanna join the planning committee? The more the merrier!
Link | October 29th, 2007 at 3:35 pm