Sunday, October 15, 2017

Investigate the Prior Knowledge of the Marawi Attack Now!

The death of a UST law student.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/182790-senate-probe-horacio-castillo-iii-hazing-ust

The death of Kian Delos Santos.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/philippine-senate-probes-police-killing-delos-santos-170824051424939.html

Even fake news!

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/10/04/1745456/live-senate-probe-fake-news

These are the issues which the Philippines Senate has wasted time investigating.  Two death cases which should be handled by the PNP and the NBI and fake news which is a huge problem amongst the easily credulous Filipinos but has remained largely undiscussed until seven Senators were called out on social media for not signing a document denouncing the deadly drug war killings.  They claimed it was all fake news and a lie and were so stung by online criticism that they convened a hearing on the matter!!  

What gall these people have. All of them. Not just the "Seven Deadly Sens." Each and every Senator who went along with these farces they call investigations should step down in shame. Here are the names of every current member of Senate.
Sen. Juan Edgardo "Sonny" M. Angara
Sen. Paolo Benigno "Bam" A. Aquino IV
Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay
Sen. Allan Peter S. Cayetano
Sen. Joseph Victor "JV" G. Ejercito
Sen. Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero
Sen. Gregorio "Gringo" B. Honasan II
Sen. Loren B. Legarda
Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III
Sen. Grace L. Poe
Sen. Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV
Sen. Cynthia A. Villar
Sen. Leila M. de Lima
Sen. Franklin "Frank" M. Drilon
Sen. Sherwin "Win" T. Gatchalian
Sen. Richard "Dick" J. Gordon
Sen. Ana Theresia "Risa" N. Hontiveros
Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson
Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" D. Pacquiao
Sen. Francis Pancratius "Kiko" N. Pangilinan
Sen. Ralph G. Recto
Sen. Vicente "Tito" C. Sotto III
Sen. Emmanuel Joel Villanueva
Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri
Not a single one of these people have called for an investigation into the prior knowledge the government had of the Marawi attack.  NOT. ONE.

The Senate has created a special committee to study the rehabilitation and rebuilding of Marawi but not a single Senator has called for the investigation into causes of Marawi.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/09/17/senate-forms-special-committee-to-study-marawi-rehab
Here are the facts of the matter for all those Senators who seem to not know the facts of the matter surrounding Marawi.

  1. The government knew about these attacks in April and knew as early as 2014 that ISIS was establishing itself in the country.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/172777-isis-military-marawi-crisis-martial-law-calida 
In the comment, Calida said the government had known as early as 2014 that there were links to ISIS being established by local groups in Mindanao. This is contrary to the stance taken by government at the time, under former president Benigno Aquino III: there is no ISIS in the Philippines.
"AFP intelligence reports disclose that as early as April 18, 2017, Abdullah Maute had dispatched his followers to the cities of Marawi, Iligan, and Cagayan de Oro to conduct bombing operations, carnapping, and 'liquidation' of AFP and PNP personnel in the said areas."

2. There was no failure of intelligence since the AFP and DND knew weapons were moving into the area.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/06/18/1711130/no-failure-intelligence-marawi
Duterte said the government was aware that firearms were being stockpiled in Mindanao but took it for granted because of the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).  
“We have adopted a very soft policy towards the rebels and this came about because they were bringing firearms. Since we are thinking of getting peace with the MNLF and MILF. The game there involves firearms. We took it for granted. We just allowed it to happen because we never knew until that time who was really the enemy,” Duterte told the troops in Butuan City.  
“When they see firearms and they were told that it’s for MILF or MNLF, the standing order was maybe we can talk to our brothers so there will be no trouble (but) it turned out that the Maute were bringing the firearms surreptitiously and we did not know how much ammunition and firearms were stockpiled, and besides it was not a failure of intelligence,” he added. 
3. Despite knowing all this Duterte and his top men took a trip to Russia just a few hours before the attack was launched.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/612764/palace-defends-huge-delegation-to-russia-everybody-was-necessary/story/
The list of Duterte’s official delegation to Russia sent to the media had 19 names, including Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Cayetano, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial. 
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunano dela Peña, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian were also part of the official delegation. 
But police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año, and Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson also joined the President’s official visit.
4. Duterte changed the narrative regarding how the Marawi siege happened. First it was a botched raid againstAbu Sayyaf leader Hapilon.


Now the reason is that a warrant was being served against a powerful and unnamed drug lord.

5. The DND was given foreign intelligence reports which they failed to verify despite having their own intelligence that ISIS was building up since 2014 and that Marawi was a known target since a month before the actual attack.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana admitted that there was a lack of validation on the government side regarding intelligence reports on the siege in Marawi City. 
Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have earlier warned the Philippines of the possible presence of ISIS-inspired local terror groups in the country, according to a report from UNTV. 
Lorenzana said that the incident in Marawi City would serve as a lesson for the Department of National Defense and the military to validate intelligence reports. 
"Maybe what we can do in the future is restudy what we are doing [in the] intelligence sector... so that we can be better prepared if something like this happens again," Lorenzana said.
It is in this same news article where Lorenzana is quoted as saying:
"The time of blaming somebody or pointing somebody is past that, ito na nga nangyari. We can no longer bring back the lives of those 110 people killed, 900 wounded," Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana could not be more wrong. 

There must be an investigation into the prior knowledge of the Marawi attack.  Can you imagine if there was no investigation into the attacks of September 11, 2001?  Can you imagine if Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said the time of blaming somebody is past and hinted that an investigation into the largest terror attack in United States was unnecessary?  That is exactly what is happening now.  

Senator Poe thinks there is a cover-up in the hazing death of UST student Horacio Castillo Jr.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/09/26/1742882/poe-there-cover-attempt-hazing-victim-case
There is an even bigger cover-up occurring in this matter of the government's prior knowledge of the Marawi attack. No one, no Senator, no Congressman, no journalist, no blogger, NO ONE has called for an investigation into this matter despite so much damning information being a part of the public record.

The time for an investigation is now. Duterte recognises the danger terrorism poses to the country.  He has even warned that more cities will be consumed with the fury of war. Is the Senate prepared to allow that to happen?  Is the Senate prepared to ignore the failures which led to Marawi and allow them to perpetuate? Is the Senate prepared to let those responsible for allowing the Marawi attacks to happen to not be held accountable? Is the Senate prepared to have the blood of hundreds, thousands, millions, on their hands because they failed to investigate this matter?

Why is there silence on this matter?  What is the Senate afraid of?

Investigate the prior knowledge of the Marawi attack now!
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Saturday, October 14, 2017

Retards in the Government 10

I could post a new "Retards in the Government" every day because that's how dumb politics is in the Philippines.  In fact this is what I have been doing now for 10 days in a row.  Might as well change the name of this blog. Sara Duterte keeps showing us all how classless she can be as she challenges Sen. Trillanes to a bout of fisticuffs. Meanwhile the PDEA has taken charge of the drug war from the PNP but will still seek help from the PNP in executing the drug war.  President Duterte warns there will be gravee consequences for toning down the drug war but if that is so why tone it down?  If the drug war is for the good of the people then it must continue the way it has or else Duterte is abandoning the people to the whims of capricious and evil men. And today we have another Pinoy First!  Andrew Bautista is the first COMELEC Chair to be impeached in history!  This is one for the record books. Congratulations to Bautista for his impeachable behaviour and to the House of Representatives who voted to imepeach him.



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The Philippines Fake Drug War

Despite shifting authority from the PNP to the PDEA Duterte's war on drugs is raging full speed ahead. The foundations aren't so shaky. There really is a problem with shabu in this country. There's also a problem with alcohol.  But perhaps the most dangerous problem is the relative ease with which fake drugs are being sold in the Philippines. 

At a pet supply store amoxicillin was being sold for 5 pesos a pill. 





Not only is amoxicillin sold only by prescription but this particular amoxicillin is fake and was recalled by the FDA in 2013.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/554893/fda-recalls-antibiotic-manufactured-in-china
In an advisory posted on its website, the FDA warned the public against buying Amoxicillin (Ambimox) 500 mg capsule with batch number 130216 and registration number DE- XY40623.  
The drug was manufactured by CSPC Zhongnuo Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a Chinese company, and imported and distributed by AMB HK Enterprises.  
“Based on the result of laboratory analysis conducted by FDA, it was found that the label claim of Amoxicillin (Ambimox) 500 capsule is below the required potency,” said the advisory, which was signed by Kenneth Hartigan-Go, FDA acting director general.  
Since “it provides only a sub-optimal dose of amoxicillin,” the FDA finds the sale of the product as a risk to the safety and health of the public.  
The FDA likewise ordered all drug retail outlets to discontinue selling the product and warned doctors against prescribing the drug.
Despite being recalled by the FDA four years ago this fake medicine is still being sold in stores and online.

http://www.muramed.com/store/detail/amoxicillin-ambimox-capsule

Just google "fake medicine Philippines" and 1,270,000 results show up. This is a real problem.  Much worse than fake honey or fake Nike's.  Medicine is supposed to heal but fake medicine can only harm. So what's being done about it?  Who is monitoring the situation?  Has anyone been arrested or shot for endangering the public health by selling fake medicine?
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Friday, October 13, 2017

Retards in the Government 9

What have we got here? Looks like it's a war of words between Mayor Duterte and three Senators critical of President Duterte. There's a lot of confusion about an "EU delegation" visiting the country but that does not stop President Duterte from cursing at them and telling them to leave now. A tone-deaf  Duterte does not understand why people are against the bloody war on drugs. As if a change of authority from the PNP to the PDEA will make everything all better. Finally President "they-are-all-out-to-destablise-me-and-throw-me-out-of-office" Duterte tells the media to stick to truth and not propaganda even while someone is allegedly hacking the opposition's emails and planting evidence of a plot. Dear readers these truthful headlines do not lie.



http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/10/12/1748211/kiko-risa-sara-duty-country-more-important-debt-gratitude



http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/937521/philippine-news-updates-sara-duterte-kiko-pangilinan-antonio-trillanes-iv-risa-hontiveros



http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/937627/sara-duterte-vs-trillanes-fight-is-on-word-war


http://globalnation.inquirer.net/160842/eu-disowns-mission-euro-lawmakers
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Why Do Filipinos Love Lawsuits?

Following the circus of Philippine politics is draining. So much of the same old.  What it boils down to is politicians in the Philippines are like monkey's throwing faeces at each other in a bid to see what will stick and inconvenience their opponent the most. Not much sticks. Usually the faeces is wet and sloppy and runs right off their face leaving a space for where the next lob can be thrown. It's an all out poop war.

But these are people and not monkeys. People, human beings, are, or should be, dignified creatures made in God's image who are governed by reason and pursue a life of wisdom seeking the Good.  We should respect our fellow man knowing that he too is made in the image of God and is our brother in humanity. Fallen human nature precludes this.

It seems as if human nature is "More Fallen in the Philippines." Is there any other nation whose officials are so petty? Is there any nation who's elected officials rush to file lawsuits and impeachment complaints at the drop of a hat?

Filing charges and lawsuits should be a last resort and a solemn undertaking but look at how prideful and even gleeful these people are about the whole endeavour.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/183271-jing-paras-risa-hontiveros-complaint-kian-delos-santos-case-witnesses


https://www.rappler.com/nation/164327-first-impeachment-complaint-filed-against-duterte

https://www.rappler.com/nation/156166-doj-criminal-case-de-lima
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/919684/impeach-complaint-vs-chief-justice-sereno-has-no-endorser

http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-philippines-duterte-icc-20170424-story.html


http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/event/impeachment-complaint-filed-against-president-arroyo-53285964#opposition-legislators-led-by-francis-escudero-hold-a-copy-of-at-picture-id53282718

It's kind of disturbing. Handing out copies of the complaint to the media is one thing. Striking a pose with the complaint you filed like it's a religious object of adoration and smiling about it is disgusting.

Why do Filipinos do this? Why do they file so many lawsuits and complaints and then pridefully pose with them?  For the answer to that question we have to travel 300 years into the past to June 8, 1720.

50. They are revengeful to an excessive degree—so much so that they are vile and cowardly; and the ministers have great trouble in reconciling them with their enemies; and although they do it through fear, it is never with the whole heart, for this passion has great influence over them. And since they need magnanimity and manliness to overcome it, and these virtues are foreign to them, hate generally forces its roots into them so deeply that it is impossible to eradicate it in a whole lifetime.
This is the reason why they are so inclined to litigation, and to going before the audiencias and courts with their quarrels, in which they willingly spend their possessions for the sole purpose of making others spend theirs and of causing them harm and trouble. For that they are even wont to pledge their sons and daughters.
http://www.philippinehistory.net/views/1720sanagustinb.htm
There you have it.  Well maybe not. I guess it's not much of an explanation. Just an observation from 300 years ago that still holds true today. Revenge, pride, and lack of magnanimity and manliness all lead to Filipinos to file lawsuit after lawsuit for the sole reason of causing their opponent harm and trouble.

This scenario is played out day after day in the Philippines. This politican accuses that politician.  This senator files charges against that senator. It never ends.  And since the root cause is an inward disposition toward revenge it never will end.
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