TRAVEL LIGHT

Last week I viewed this video and pondered on its parody;

Then last Sunday, July 23, I read this paid ad of Sigaw ng Bayan that says in part:

Mark Chapter 5 (The Holy Bible, King James Version)

[8] For he (Jesus) said unto him (the demon), Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
[9] And he (Jesus) asked him (the demon), What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

Are these just scary coincidences or is this an Omen?

According to Ambrose Bierce’s Devil’s Dictionary: “OMEN, n. A sign that something will happen if nothing happens.”

If there’s one thing highlighted during GMA’s State of Another Nation Address yesterday, aside from presenting a Brochure than a speech, was a lesson on geography. Only this time it was the geography of a mythical land you come to realize later on was the Philippines.

But before I get my knowledge on Philippine geography muddled by GMA’s Super-Regions, I would rather watch this video for a refresher. I bet you this is far more original, enjoyable and educational than GMA’s powerpoint presentation.

Heto ang orig!

See, walang binatbat ni katiting ang presentation ni GMA!!

In the present order of things no one really knows what reality is. Truth is no longer available.

Consider these statements from Government:

“There is no cheating, I called only to protect my votes”

“There is no job shortage, only picky Filipinos who want high paying jobs.”

“There is no illegal arrest and abduction, the suspects were just kept to preserve public order.”

“There is no killing spree on activists, only Communists killing their own.”

“There is no deal with the Marcoses, only a negotiation for compromise.”

“There is no shortage of Classrooms, only a wrong formula used”

In order for you to know the truth, take the red pill and remember this:

Boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Boy: Then you’ll see that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

There is no spoon. There is no spoon. There is no spoon.

Ah, “There is no Government, only an illusion that there is one!”

“Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen.”

I just couldn’t believe what I read in the news today. A bonfire, fueled by Dan Brown’s books and pirates’ copies of movies based on it, was lit at the Bonifacio Shrine at a prayer rally organized by youth and religious groups calling Dan Brown’s work a sin against Christianity. The book burning rally, initiated by members of the St. James Parish in Ayala, Alabang, drew about 500 people, mostly students, from schools and universities in Manila.

The group said it was meant to dramatize their sentiment against the book and the movie. The Book Burning movement was an idea and lead by an Ateneo Alumnus, Jesse Paredes. Manila Mayor Lito Atienza embraced the idea and agreed to hold the prayer rally in the city. “God is big in Manila,” Paredes said.

Whats going on with our country today? We’ve got a government that can lie barefacedly and eliminates opposition by illegal arrests, kidnapping, abduction and liquidation, now we’ve got an ignorant citizenry who wants to resurrect and perchance institutionalize a NAZI practice of book burning. And they’re doing it in the name of God!

To translate the German phrase above by Heinrich Heine, from his play Almansor in 1821, it means, “Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings.” Heaven forbid!

Monday, May 22, 2006:

Virgilio Eustaquio, Ruben Dionisio, Jim Lucio Cabauatan, Dennis Ibuna and Police Officer 3 Jose Justo Curameng — all supporters of former President Estrada were taken from Eustaquio’s house in Kamuning by armed men who did not identify themselves.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006:

Families of the abducted persons went to the ISAFP compound in Camp Aguinaldo searching for their missing kin but ISAFP guards told them the missing men were not inside. On this same day AFP Public Information Chief Col. Tristan Kison denied the five men were being held by the military.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006:

The Commission on Human Rights slammed “a pattern of impunity” that had marked violence against political militants and the Amnesty International deplored continuing human rights abuses in the country.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita was quite emphatic. The administration had nothing to do with the disappearance of five supporters of ousted President Joseph Estrada, whom their relatives had reported missing. Ermita told Malacañang reporters: “They will always point the blame against the administration but rest assured that we are not doing it because it would only cause destabilization. Why would we choose those belonging to the opposition, we don’t want to do that. The government is always the natural suspect when these things happen.”

Two hours after Ermita made the statement yesterday, the military confirmed the government had the five in custody.Colonel Tristan Kison, said the five had been in ISAFP’s custody since their arrest.

The police had filed rebellion charges against the five for allegedly plotting to assassinate four Cabinet members — Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor, Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales – a plot conspiracy between rightist elements and communist rebels. “They allegedly hatched the assassination plot in furtherance of rebellion … to paralyze the government … and sow chaos and anarchy,” said Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco.

One of the victims, Dionisio, removed his shirt and showed alleged marks of torture when he and his four companions were presented to media last evening. He said electric shocks were applied to his genitals and he was forced to admit to involvement in the plot.

State Prosecutor Velasco denied this claim, he said it was normal for accused people to claim torture.

Well, would you still believe in a Government that can lie to you barefacedly?

This news report is the basis of the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the Government’s policy on Calibrated Preemptive Response (CPR) illegal and unconstitutional. Watch and listen closely to what this reporter has to say:

Gets mo?

The recent New York Times Editorial reads:

Filipinos thought they had put an end to electoral chicanery and governmental intimidation when they overthrew the Marcos dictatorship two decades ago. Unfortunately, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has completely lost touch with the ideals that inspired that 1986 “people power” movement.

Yes Virginia, it’s the New York Times. And yes, Sec. Gonzales couldn’t cite them for inciting to sedition…harharhar…

If anything, this editorial clearly states the fact that the US or some of its influential institutions are not happy the way GMA is running the show for Uncle Sam. Although the editorial says that “Mrs. Arroyo is no Ferdinand Marcos”, but it adds, “at least not yet”. Its succeeding statement however, shows that GMA has a strong tendency of becoming one.

Not only that, the editorial also called the attention of Dubya to warn GMA that she is undermining a hard-won democracy thus making Philippines a country far more vulnerable to terrorist pressures. When the US uses the keyword “terrorism” in the context of the Philippines, for them it also means the communist insurgency.

This NY Times editorial is not only a slight dissing, it is a serious warning for GMA. Everyone knows that Philippine politics is very much tied to US interests. Somehow, the US acting very much like a Pinoy’s Big Brother, decides on who’s in or out. Marcos received Uncle Sam’s eviction notice after he became the number one recruiter for the NPA. This time, Uncle Sam has an inkling to believe that GMA is just doing the same. Although the NY Times editorial comes only as the sharpest criticism against GMA but it is not the first time that the US expressed its doubts and criticism on GMA. Preceding this editorial was the statement released by the US giving GMA a polite caution when she delared PP 1017.

Now if other US institutions will follow suit soon, then its a sure signal for GMA to start packing up.The skies are now getting cloudy for GMA and Company.