Many Americans believe that the Obama government’s move to pursue the trial in New York of the 9-11 terrorists attack suspects will be putting the whole country in great danger and anxiety. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and five other suspects detained in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba will be facing the federal court instead of a military tribunal. Some believed that this decision to have an open court trial could put NYC in threat of another terrorist act and will give platform for these terrorists to present their Jihad beliefs to recruit more members.

I strongly believe that this is one the best decisions of the Obama government. Everything will be out in the open, public opinion and scrutiny will be welcomed, and information that were not ever publicized will be available for everyone. Americans have put terrorists to federal court repeatedly so this should not be new to them, and this trial will give bittersweet justice to the 3000 people killed in the 9-11 attack . A full view of the trial is the best way to go.

A military tribunal is a kind of military court designed to try members of enemy forces during wartime, operating outside the scope of conventional criminal and civil proceedings. The judges are military officersand fulfill the role of jurors. Military tribunals are distinct from courts-martial. It is an inquisitorial system based on charges brought by a military authority, prosecuted by a military authority, judged by military officers, and sentenced by military officers against a member of an adversarial force. — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_tribunal

Senator Loren Legarda has announced her candidacy for the Vice President post but would not reveal her running mate, she obviously does not know where to go. Lakas-Kampi denied rumors that they are wooing her to run as Defense Secretary Teodoro’s VP on 2010 and stories going around that National Peoples Coalition (NPC), Senator Legarda’s own party is not happy with her acting “primadonna” for she has not committed herself to Senator Chiz Escudero who, is the NPC’s probable standard bearer. Was she insulted when former President Joseph Estrada did not choose her as his running mate? Her devotion to the former President did not get her anywhere, even if she proudly announced a few months back that she will run as VP only to Estrada.

The problem with Legarda is that she changes political position as soon she feels the public shows dismay to whoever she is supporting. Her principle doesn’t stand on solid ground and all she cares about is public opinion. I am not saying that public opinion doesn’t matter but, it is not only the market vendors, beggars, squatters whom she should please,  there are also students,  OFWs, farmers, and other taxpayers who are so sick and tired being pushed around and unheard just because they have the means to survive. Legarda panics as soon as she realizes that her chocolate-coated-statements, more often than not are vague and redundant, does not appeal to the masses. She is a classic example of a politician who would put ambition first before her real purpose as a public servant. If Legarda really wants to please the public, the best way to do it … give way to Mar Roxas.

I hurriedly came home last Friday because I want to get ready for the live streaming of the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards (PBA) at Flippish.com. What I did not realize, and now I should constantly remind myself,  is that when Pinoy says 6 pm it actually means 7 pm … and half an hour more I think. Almost 2 hours late and then there were like a hundred Nokia and PBA plugs playing over and over again. I don’t want to complain anymore because for sure they have reasons why there was a delay but what the heck is wrong with the hosts of the pre-show? Aren’t they told that they are hosting an awarding ceremony?  Are they familiar with the word spontaneity? Oh man, I really hope they will make it more organize next year. Moving on … I never really cared about who was winning on the other categories, I was just waiting for the category that I am in (not that I am expecting to win, I just want to hear my blog’s name hehehe). Then it came and, The Marocharim Experiment won. Congratulations to him. The truth is, I was rooting for Pinoy Buzz. Though there was one chatter at Flippish who already said that Marocharim might win, I honestly doubted it will because when I read his blog, it was not even commentary-ish at all. Disappointed? Yes. Well, what can we do? The judges might have another definition for “commentary” that we didn’t know. Anyways, if there is anything fun that happened in my flippish experience, that is being able to chat with fellow bloggers that were also nominated on other categories, so here is a special shout out to Ambo, Noel, Arvin, Marz, and Ram who happened to be the guy at the PBA plug I posted above. We all had fun chatting and making fun of the hosts while waiting for the “real start” of the awarding ceremony.

Anyways, it is my blog’s first time to be nominated by any Blogging Awards but I want to brag that early this year, after writing a blogpost about US President Barack Obama, CNN and The Huffington Post added me to their “Featured Blogs”, now that’s cool. Hey, I am not saying all these because I am sour graping because I did not win. I just want to write about it now, just because (lols)!!!

Thanks to all of my friends who nominated my blog to the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards, thanks to those who thinks I am doing a great job, and I am screaming “get a life” to all those who think my opinion sucks.

The awarding is over … let us all get back to work!

The following people should not run on the 2010 national election simply because they are a bunch of schmucks hahaha … ok ok I am just being facetious but we all know jokes are half meant (I am so laughing my ass off while writing this) and I swear on my dog’s grave that I am really a nice person :p … Anyhow, these are the individuals that I believe that our nation does not need to lead us to hell or in heaven.

Panfilo Lacson – Darn it! I used to love this guy but, not anymore. Perhaps, he thought his expose is going to hinder Joseph Estrada from running on the presidential election next year but, it was really his own grave he was digging. His expose on the alleged conspiracy among some military men and Estrada in the Dacer-Corbito killing just proves that he is not to be trusted. He should answer to the question of was he really keeping information from the government and the court regarding the crimes that allegedly Estrada committed back when he was still in office. As a Senator, he should know that he made an oath to serve the people and bring justice to whoever deserves it. Now, how will Lacson clean his own mess?

Joseph Estrada – He was once a President but was ousted from power due to allegations of corruption. Now if he becomes President again, he might try to get even to those who kicked him out of the office. His name is also being dragged to the Dacer-Corbito case and hweteng scam, do we really need a leader who has more problems than our own country? I am sure that Erap is a really nice guy but somewhere along the way, things just went up to his head.

Chiz Escudero and Loren Legarda – If there is anybody out there who loves the media and the camera so much that they want to hug and wants to get down with it too, it would be these two:

I swear that every time I see Escudero being interviewed, he never said anything that would benefit our economy. Never did he finish an interview without lashing out on the current administration. We already got the idea that he hates President Arroyo but please, he should do something that will benefit the people and not his own ambition. He became popular because of his flowery-poetic words and good thing I never bought it, it actually annoys me. I wonder what kind of economic development did he brought to Sorsogon or maybe there was none because during his term as a Congressman, he was so busy kissing Estrada’s ass than of his constituents.

On the other hand, Legarda has so much bitterness in her that you can see it her on her pretty face when ever Noli De Castro’s name is being mentioned. Certainly acting civil in front of an enemy is a decent act but, please dont act nice when you are not really nice. When I saw her at the BBC World Debate with topic of on how nations should react to natural disasters, I was really disappointed when she said she never want to be the one to tell the people the bad news or the real state of the nation in the event of a disaster, she said she will just leave it to the expert. My gosh, does it mean that if she becomes our president, she will not be the expert that we expect her to be in running our sinking economy? And why on earth does she continue to say that we should set aside politics in this time of global financial crisis when she herself is so busy looking for a running mate on 2010. Just a question, why is it that every time Legarda talks, it seems like she is not making any sense? She is really scarying me, is she kinda like a “budol-budol” girl (stealing money by means of hypnotism)? Maybe she should just stop now and just go back to being a tv personality.

Ronaldo Puno – very simple, his brother Dong Puno hates Muntinlupa City, which is my place hahaha. Seriously, Puno is incompetent, does not have enough experience in public service, and not well liked by many even if he tries to be so wholesome in his infomercials. He is is just ain’t right to be Gilbert Teodoro’s running mate. There is something fishy about him, I just can’t figure out what it is, but all I know is that he shouldn’t run.

Bro. Mike Velarde of El Shaddai – please please please some mercy … the Catholic Church is already a big headache and we don’t want another one to tell us that that contraceptives are bad. Besides, my mom has too many El Shaddai towels, I don’t intend to have more.

Gloria Arroyo – Girl, enough is enough. I don’t hate you, it’s just that if you stay being a President for a hundred more years, the 3rd world war might start in Malacanan’s front yard. Plus, your husband, the first gentleman Miguel, and son Mikey has been getting on our nerves since day one of your term. How do you expect to discipline the Abu Sayyaf when you can’t even get your family to do something good for the country?

Jinggoy Estrada, Mikey Arroyo, Amay Bisaya, Eddie Gil - you are kidding me, right?! The biggest jokes ever hahaha!

I may have been harsh with my words in giving reasons why these people should not even think of filing their candidacy for the next year election but we all know that these men and women are so hungry for power, no words or stones can ever hurt them today … but when they are already in power, we should all watch out.

It was on May 11, 2009, during the ANC Leadership forum, when I realized that Defense Secretary Gilbert ” Gibo” Teodoro could be a good bet for the 2010 Presidential Election. He was straightforward and confident in answering all questions being thrown at him regarding all issues in all aspects of governance and shrug it off when being closely scrutinize because of his close association with the administration and Lakas-Kampi CMD matriarch President Gloria Arroyo. Yesterday, despite the snubbing  of the party’s  original members former Philippine President and Chairman Emeritus Fidel V. Ramos (FVR) along with former Speaker of the House and resigned President of Lakas CMD Jose de Venecia (JDV), Lakas-Kampi CMD has made it formal and declared Gibo as it’s standard bearer for the next year election. JDV even made a statement that the the merging of the two parties are still in questioned and that will give Gibo’s campaign a big problem. That should really be the least of Gibo’s worries because obviously, JDV is just making a scene and trying to ruin the party’s chosen one’s moment. The early proclamation will surely help the party lobby Gibo to harvest more supporters and voters. Noynoy Aquino, his cousin, and also running for the Presidential election, openly stated that Gibo would most probably be his formidable foe and will get most of the Ilocano’s votes because the Aquinos still has issues about the Hacienda Luisita land dispute.

Gilbert Cojuangco Teodoro has the most impressive resume. A Lear Jet rating in his Commercial Pilot’s License, attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from De La Salle University in 1984. In 1989, he completed his law studies at the University of the Philippines, where he was awarded the Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence. In the same year,  he topped the Philippine Bar exams. He went to the Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts for his Master of Laws and completed it in 1997. He was a congressman representing the First District of Tarlac province from 1998 to 2007 and was eventually appointed Secretary of the Department of National Defense in August 2007 at the age of 43, the youngest person to ever hold the position. He has always been considered one of the two honest cabinet members of the Arroyo government.

Gibo is not a back slacking or a baby kissing kind of candidate, he is pretty much cerebral and like to take things done right away, which made him very much respected by his colleagues. If there is anything that will probably hinder Gibo from getting the sympathy of the masses, it is his being in the shadow of the administration, and his possible running mate DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno whom is not liked by a lot of people. Many even questions him, if he is elected, will he use his power to protect Arroyo from anomaly charges that allegedly she has committed during her term as the Chief Executive of our country? Former Senator Franklin Drilon is unsure that Gibo will even take note of E.O. 464. Though the administration’s party is a force to be reckon with, the machinery to make him a household name  is still yet to be tested. I suggest that Secretary Teodoro must roll his sleeves and really get down with the people of the C and D class because these people barely knows him and his capabilities. Among all presidentiables, he was the only one who is not afraid to voice out his support for charter change  which is one of the most controversial issues today and for that I admire him, he surely got the balls hehehe.

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 464

ENSURING OBSERVANCE OF THE PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS, ADHERENCE TO THE RULE ON EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE AND RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS APPEARING IN LEGISLATIVE INQUIRIES IN AID OF LEGISLATION UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

added readings:

official website of Gilbert Teodoro

sources:

image: wowelcondeza.blogspot.com

bio:  Wikipedia on Gilbert Teodoro

affiliations:  Lakas-Kampi CMD website

I was disappointed that Senator Mar Roxas decided not to run for the 2010 Presidential election. Whether he admit it or not, my hunch is that he was pressured by the people around him to just give way to Senator Noynoy Aquino’s hidden desire to run for the presidency. For sure Aquino will run because Roxas conceding is such a giveaway clue. They said this has proven Roxas’ true friendship with Aquino but how long will this friendship last? Most probably, not for too long, not in politics. They said Noynoy is the best candidate for the election because his family has an impeccable reputation and great love for the country but can we truly say that it is all for real or is it to satisfy one’s ambition plays a major role? If it is otherwise, can we truly say “like parents like children”? Does it really follow? If Cory Aquino did not die last August 1, would the Filipino people still think that Noynoy is capable of running this country? I don’t think so. He will always be in the shadow of his parents and he will continue to use their names on every speeches and every situation just to get people’s attention to listen to him. He does not have the charisma of his father, the courage of his mother, and a following of his famous sister.  I never heard him talk about his works in the Senate, his advocacy on anything that matters to the country’s economy but instead, he has been one of those politicians, like the annoying Chiz Escudero, who bashes the current administration all through out their terms. To me, Noynoy looks like a geek, the one that school athletes bullies at the school gym. I never saw him as an authority but a follower, I never thought of him as a leader but a disciple, he is a politician and not a public servant. He may not be corrupt but is he strong enough to run a lazy country like ours? Not all of us are pro-Aquinos, so that is one thing to consider.

Let me just warn Noynoy Aquino. For now enjoy the love and support of some Filipinos who will probably give you  your ticket to the throne of Malacanang but remember their faces, because they are the same faces that will tear you apart and break you into pieces. I should know, I am also a Filipino. Learn from our history kiddo.

Former Defense Secretary Avelino “Nonong” Cruz’es sudden comments on President Arroyo’s alleged plan to stay in office even after the 2010 election is really disturbing. According to him, it is possible that the President will even get to the point of declaring martial law to prevent the opposition or any groups to make her step down. He mentioned that one solid proof of this plan is when Arroyo assigning known Army personalities as Philippine Ambassadors to different countries to take care of external affairs if ever martial law is declared. Whether it is true or false, these allegations from the President’s former alliance is injecting fear to many. We all know that the Philippine military makes a move by the command of the Commander in Chief, their loyalty is to whoever is sitted on the highest position of the government. This makes me wonder, does this mean that the army is more than willing to give up their reputation, principle, and life to a leader than of it’s people whom they also swore to protect?

An information has reached me, that is yet to be confirmed, of course. Allegedly, there is a plan for  a coup de etat days before President Arroyo’s last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27 and will be headed by a General. My source also added that if things will go according to plan, the military will put a cabinet member, planning to run for president in the 2010 election, as the President, replacing Arroyo. Could this be true? I, myself can not believe this either simply because this cabinet member seemed to be too loyal to betray the President.

Before you make any violent reactions, please stay calm.  We aren’t even sure if this is really going to happen. Remember, we Filipinos, if united, have the power to change things. And if you can guess that cabinet member … make sure you aren’t barking at the wrong tree.

A very reliable source told me that there is now an official love team, i mean, tandem, for the 2010 Philippine National Election. It is Manny Villar for President and Noli de Castro for Vice President … officially! This was made official when the two met in the US and there they made that agreement. Yes, we may all have heard at one point that VP Noli de Castro will not run for the 2nd biggest position in the government but this is really not a surprise, perhaps he realized that he still has to beat the richest and equally popular Senator Manny Villar for the highest position. If the two will have to go up against each other on the Presidency, de Castro will most probably lose because he doesn’t have enough money, and many politicians believed that he hasn’t kissed a lot of butts to support him for the 2010 election. Another thing is, Villar is a tough guy to beat. He has money, fame, the whole Camella Homes Homeowners (laughing out loud! ) and Boy Abunda to back him up hehehe. Who will say NO to Boy Abunda? Kris Aquino won’t even try.

Is this a good team? YES! Is this a strong team? YES! Are they going to get along? No, especially after the election. These two are so different from each other. Noli is a public servant and thank goodness that all this time that he has been in the government, he has not become a politician. On the other hand, Villar is a businessman. Many called him “a landgrabber” but with his popular tv campaign ads, people looked at him differently. With his “sipag and tiyaga” tag he carry every where he go, I wouldn’t be surprised that he will win because that is exactly what Filipinos want their leaders to be and inspire them to be.

For now, let us just wait for these two to announce their candidacy as partners. I hope I didn’t ruin the not so big surprise.

Did we really did not see it coming? Most probably, not what we have expected. The sudden backing out of Total Information Management Corp. (TIM) for the automation of poll for the 2010 Philippine National Election totally left us all dumbfounded. According to Makati Congressman Teddy Boy Locsin  TIM had asked for 500 million pesos from their Netherland-based partner Smartmatic. Smartmatic is  a research and development group, known to provide a fully-automated, electronic voting system that is completely secure, reliable and auditable. Although TIM CEO Jose Marie Antunez had totally denied this allegation, still some believed that both Smatmatic and TIM is being pressured by those who have opposed the poll automation ever since the bidding has started. Comelec right away jumped in to the scene by declaring that they would be more than willing to take TIM’s place as Smartmatic’s local partner. Well, now that’s a big joke, right? If ever that happens, expect some real monkey business to take place.

It really got me thinking. Could it be that TIM is just a front of Comelec? and that all of these is orchestrated from day one? It is possible that the administration has been pursuing the automation as a facade. They made all of us believe that they like to improve the voting system and prevent cheating then, hired TIM to be a a front as the local partner of Smartmatic. Then if they succeed in the bidding, TIM will pull out and then here comes Comelec as the administration’s ally to the rescue. Then enters the whole new way of cheating… “the automated style” hehehe. Hmmm … we didnt see this coming, right? Just my speculation.

added readings:

Smartmatic

I was deeply saddened by the news that I got from my brother, Brian Grant,  former NBA basketball superstar from the Portland Trailblazers team and one of my favorite Sports personality,  was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease… the disease that disrupts the brain’s coordination and control of muscle movement and motor skills. I am still in state of shock and I did cry as if I am very close to him. He was one of the bests of the NBA during the later years of the 90s when Portland was sky rocketing to the top. I really hope that Bryan will be able to accept everything  this disease will bring him, and that the Lord Almighty make it easy for him to endure all the physical difficulties. He will always be my biggest crush and my hero.

On the brighter side, F1 racer and my dream boy, Jenson Button has done it again for the 4th time this season under the flag of the Brawn-Mercedes team, winning the Monaco Grand Prix in Wetern Europe. The team’s winning streak, having teammate Rubens Barichello on the 2nd spot, is unstoppable and very much expected by many. Jenson has been enjoying his turns in standing on the very top of the podium after his very first win on 2006 and winning for the 5th time,  is still as sweet as his first. One of the racers that I am also rooting for is Felipe Massa of Ferrari, finishing 4th. The previous failure of KERS to help him get to the top somehow frustrates him because it was supposed to help him have an advantage over other racers but it has been nothing but disappointment. A KERS boost button is a contraption which uses regenerative energy to increase the power delivery to the rear wheels. This delivers a significant increase in horsepower, for up to seven second per lap, and is particularly effective at standing starts. I am hoping that next season, the Ferrari team will be able to master the KERS, but of course, I still want my baby, Jenson Button to win :p

more readings:

F1 Race Monaco Grand Prix official result May 24, 2009