BOKAL NG BAYAN NI BILLY ANDAL

BnB Dec 15 – 16 ‘08
GMA in pain?

Last Thursday, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was in Barangay Concepcion, Sariaya Quezon. Arriving by a tourist bus, she went directly to the stage especially prepared for the inauguration of the Quezon Livelihood and Livelihood Center (QLLC) and graduation of about 1,000 TESDA sponsored technical-vocational trainees.

The QLLC is a noble private and voluntary undertaking by a group of successful Quezonians; comprising the past and current government officials in the civilian and uniformed services and from different professions and businesses known as Quezonians 1923, Inc. To be more effective and fruitful in it’s mission, the group headed by Gentleman President Charlie Alejandrino tied up with TESDA.

This elite Quezonian grouping is doing good and the Tek-Bok trainee-graduates will help improve the lot of our kababayan in the province. QCCL deserve our support to keep goin for this country.

Before taking her seat, GMA stood for a moment to smile and wave to over 1000 people, mainly graduates and local officials including police and military officers.

Solcom chief Gen Delfin Bangit and PNP Region IVA Director Ricardo Padilla who both appeared in good mood exchanging pleasantries with the national and local media practitioners, came well ahead of the President.

Seated right beside Quezon 2nd district rep Procy Alcala, GMA seemed to listen to what the congressman was talking about, It was obvious, though, that the Chief Executive was looking too far and away.

What’s in her mind, we don’t know. While she was with the Quezonians physically on that rainy Thursday afternoon , her looks does not show GMA is. The President appear sad, gloomy. I saw no glitter in her eyes, except perhaps when she was leaving, already in the bus, waving good-by to us which I caught on my Carl-Zeis lens. GMA in pain, could be, I really don’t know.

We can only speculate that she is either bothered by the political and economic crisis and perhaps, the legitimacy issue confronting her. I could be wrong, of course.

I am not a fan of GMA. Until when? I can’t tell, perhaps, time would. Or, undoubtedly, when she becomes the opposite of how I see and perceived her to be. Setting that aside,
I am worried for the President irrespective of whether she is illegitimate for some or not.

SENATE VS HOUSE OF REP

The Senate for the first time in history that I know of had never been as solid as it is last week when all 23 senators voted against the Con-Ass proposal of the Arroyo dominated House of Representatives. With that, the tit-for-tat battle for supremacy between to equal parts of Congress in the effort of the Lower House majority to effect changes in the Constitution is now unfolding before us.

By forcing the issue that altering the basic law could be possible by a constituent assembly with the Upper and Lower House voting altogether as one and not separately, Malacanan’s mercenaries at the Batasan aims to bring the matter to the Supreme Court for resolution or intervention.

Sen. Kiko Pangilinan was saying that even a freshman in law school knows that the manner by which the House would want amendment to the Charter is unsconstitutional. We agree, of course, with Rep Luis Villafuerte that only the Supreme Court can officially decide on the constitutionality of any legal issue. However, there are issues or actions which need no doctors in law to be able to determine whether it is violative of the Charter.

Never had it occurred to this nation that legislation can be made possible as the mercenaries insist, with just the Lower House as Congress. As we all know, Congress is the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines. To pass a law, the bill has to pass both the Senate and the House. Even the change of towns names require approval of both Houses. Why the Palace’ Batasan mercenaries stubbornly wants to do on their own singly manifest their total and full disregard to our established norms in legislation and who would arrogate unto themselves the right and power which never belongs to them.

It has never been like this before. While there were pawns of the Palace in the House of Representatives in the long past, never had it so gall that Villafuerte and his co-mercenaries would go this far.

Other than the Batasan of Marcos time, the 14th Congress is the worst. At cost to them and to most governors and mayors, four successive impeachment complaints had been dumped thereby setting aside the only legal opportunity to hear allegations of thievery, human right violations and maladministration.

Of course, it’s not gonna be forever.

PLEBISCITE TO SPLIT QUEZON

The plebiscite results to split Quezon clearly indicated a trend of rejection as of presstime. By the time you’re reading this paper, it is possible that the results, province-wide are already known though proclamation may not be possible unless the Supreme court TRO is lifted.

It was expected that both parties from the Yes or No camp would exert every effort and resources to achieve the desired goals.

As usual, the political exercise was indeed one. Political reformists hope the matter should have been one on the issue but it never came. The fight for people’s vote became two against two among the political giants of the province. I mean between the camp of Governor Raffy Nantes and Rep Mark Enverga versus Reps Erin Tanada and Danny Suarez who was the aggressor in pushing for the break-up of united Quezon.

In the 2nd district or in Lucena, in particular, the Talagas and the Alcalas refuse to slug it out. Alcala failed to counterpunch against Mayor Talaga’s offense. Instead, the congressman preferred to remain mum on his stand. The people expected guide from their leader, in vain.

People now perceive the representative as wanting a real creation of Quezon del Norte as he argued consistently during the campaign that he’s done with it. Meaning, he already authored the law that creates Quezon del Sur. While Atty Euclides Forbes is for a split, my lawyer and friend wouldn’t want to come out on his Yes stand for fear that people may construe that it is what his client Alcala is campaigning for.

Easy now to say Alcala wants a new kingdom as Talaga is. Perhaps either one of the two political king in the area thinks the 1st and 2nd district are easier political expanse for power grab.

Unfortunately, assuming (from the word ass) in the unlikely event that the minisculed Quezon comes to place, there are other political jades difficult to bear with. Expectedly, Nantes and the Envergas would not allow themselves not to be the principal actors.

Political forces in the next elections will have a very good issue on leadership failure against the solon on a very critical issue of splitting Quezon. It would be easy to say Alcala cannot make up his mind and decide when critical issues are on hand.

NBI in QUEZON

Since when has the NBI become server of subpoena? I don’t know but a certain Toledo and a group of heavily armed men claiming to be Quezon NBI elements went out of their jurisdiction to Blumentritt Sta Cruz Manila to deliver one letter from a vested party to a market vendor. Employing overwhelming force, the poor meat vendor was pressured to receive and signed the document against his will.

Since when did the NBI become messengers?

Can you tell us Mr Nelson Mantaring? Are this condone in your office? Governor Nantes is not aware yet of this and will not allow one of his constituency from Bignay Sariaya, making a living in Manila to be forced at gunpoint just to sign a document.

No one it his right mind would think Toledo would do it for a song.