THE REAL PROBLEM ARE THE VOTERS THEMSELVES

By Bayawanon

Fred Lim turned the CITY COLLEGE OF MANILA into UNIVERSIDAD DE MANILA and made it a tuition-free educational institution, established five hospitals in the city and made Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila a tuition-free university. He had also his own version of a DRUG WAR which was more effective than the current national leadership. Such a feat is very hard to be surpassed nor be duplicated by anyone who would lead the national capital.

I was so sad when the Manilenos rejected Fred Lim thrice for the mayorship of Manila since the caliber of leadership and service Lim could offer to the people is not just mayoral but actually presidential at its finest.

What did Erap has offered to the people of Manila when he was running for Mayor against Lim aside from his hundreds of millions of bucks and his blackened reputation as president of the Philippines? What did Erap do as Mayor of Manila for six years aside from siphoning its coffers?

Bam Aquino was the PRINCIPAL AUTHOR of the FREE COLLEGE EDUCATION ACT which the young people are now partaking but why did the majority reject him in the 2019 elections? Mar Roxas was the CHIEF ARCHITECT of the CHEAPER MEDICINES ACT but did the majority rejected him in the last two elections in which he participated? Does this mean that most of the Filipinos are ingrate nowadays?

Noynoy Aquino has made the Philippine economy kicking and alive and has established infrastructure projects despite the fact that he did not raise the taxes during his incumbency as president of the republic, but why is it that the people can only remember the glitches Noynoy Aquino's administration has made? Does this mean that the people are not politically logical currently?

When shall the people learn from their mistakes? Will they continue falling to the glare of money and to the tempting promises of the traditional politicians comes election time or will they seek better leadership by way of using critical thinking in choosing their leaders?

I do not know when would people learn how to choose a good leader. To me, it is not the fault of the leaders ruling ineffectively their constituencies, for the real problem are the people themselves who do not know how to chose their leaders who can lead them to prosperity, peace, justice and righteousness and not the other way around.

POLITICAL BOOMERANG

By Bayawanon

The president had offered the position of DRUG CZAR to the Vice President Leni Robredo, which the latter accepted. Due to the acceptance of the vice president to such a very important position, she became a co-chair of the PDEA or the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, which she co-chaired with General Aaron Aquino for a brief period.

Some political pundits would classify the offer of the president to the vice president the DRUG CZAR position as a political trap, because they would say that if the vice president would reject the offer, she would just then be considered as purely and simply a FAULT FINDER, she being a critic of the president's own DRUG WAR and had nothing to contribute to the solution of the decimation of the drug problem in the country, and if she would accept the offer, she would just then be laughed upon by the majority, since she had no capability in solving the drug menace.

To the shock of everyone, the vice president accepted the offer of the president to co-chair the PDEA. The Vice President then made giant steps that would probably eradicate, if not control the drug industry in the country. She consulted the big whigs of the Roman Catholic Church of the Philippines, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations to help solve the drug problem of the country, much to the chagrin of the president.

The president eventually sacked the vice president from her new position because according to the former, the vice president had revealed state secrets to his political enemies like the Roman Catholic Church of the Philippines, the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, etc. in the matter of his own drug war.

Such an act of the president must be frowned upon, for the vice president was just doing her job to contribute to solving the drug problem of the Philippines. The president should have given the vice president enough opportunity in proving her worth in solving the drug crisis the country is facing right now and should have crossed party lines with the opposition in trying to solve the same.

The move of the president in sacking the vice president as co-chair of the PDEA actually did more harm than good to the intentions of the former to solve the drug problem of the country, and made the vice president looked more of a political martyr. The purpose of the president to trap the vice president as what the political pundits had predicted turned from a political trap against the vice president into a POLITICAL BOOMERANG against the president.

IRONY AT ITS BEST OR PURELY AND SIMPLY NAIVETE?

By Bayawanon

Majority of the people do not like the TRAIN LAW because it gives so much burden to them, but the surveys would tell everyone that the populace likes the way the president who batted for the TRAIN LAW in managing the country.

Most of the Filipinos do not like China for its Spratlys and South China Sea dominance over the Philippines and other neighboring countries, but the same people still give their trust to the president for effectively ruling the country.

Most of the citizens of the country believe that the number one political figure of the state is doing well as its Chief Executive despite the hardships the RICE TARIFFICATION LAW has given to the rice farmers.

The pro-administration people believe that their political idol is doing well as the Chief Manager of the nation despite the gargantuan loans with gigantic interests that he contracted from China.

Majority of the people do not like FEDERALISM, a system of government being foreseen as the divider of the country but the same people approve the performance of the prime national leader who bats for the aforementioned system of government.

What does the message of these developments convey to us? Will these scenarios tell us that majority of the Filipinos are that purely and simply naive or do these happenings be considered as GREAT IRONIES AT ITS BEST?

RICE TARIFFICATION LAW WREAKS HAVOC AGAINST THE LOCAL FARMERS

By Bayawanon

It is true that the RICE TARIFFICATION  LAW is lowering the prices of rice in the local market, hence it is now a big help to the consumers. But because of the flooding of foreign rice because of the RICE TARRIFICATION LAW, the local farmers' income is now affected since imported rice is now competing against their products.

The rice traders are now buying the local farmers' unhusked rice from Php 7.00 to Php 11.00 per kilo, thus making the local rice farmers doubting as to whether or not they would continue rice farming. Plenty of rice mills have temporarily ceased operations, because many farmers have not decided to mill their unhusked rice but instead stored the same for personal consumption.

It is true that the government may give subsidies to the rice farmers out of the tariffs from international rice exporters outside of the Philippines, but the question is this, will this really happen when everything in the rice production industry would all be in shambles?

As I have expected the RICE TARRIFICATION LAW would really wreak havoc against the local farmers because the same law withdraws regulatory powers to the NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY with regard to rice importation. It would clearly follow, that this law gives so many benefits to the rice exporters outside of the country and to the rice traders and gives burden to the local rice growers.

For the local rice growers to recover, Congress must amend this law, and for the same to push through, long and arduous debates shall be done first in the halls of the legislature. Secondly, if the old system would be reinstalled, the prices of well-milled rice would skyrocket anew and may affect the consuming public.

In connection to the foregoing problems with regard to the rice issue that I have discussed, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, who is a non-agriculturist, must take proper steps to solve the enigma as regards to the crisis that she has done against the local rice farmers bypassing her infamous RICE TARRIFICATION LAW via correction of the same.

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER WHICH THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT NOTICED

By Bayawanon

The people may not be aware of it, but according to the circumstances at hand, the Philippines is facing a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER.

When the president told the Filipinos that he is going to pursue his DREADED DRUG WAR, it happened by getting rid almost all of the drug personalities in the country by way of DEATH PENALTY WITHOUT PASSING THE DEATH PENALTY LAW through his TOKHANG/E.J.K. ways. Such an act of the present national supreme leader is actually a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER to the HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION OF THE THE COUNTRY.

When the president told every Filipino that he would pursue an INDEPENDENT FOREIGN POLICY,  the Philippines is already at the edge of a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, since the Philippines has actually made international treaties favorable to China and inimical to the Philippine interest.

When the National Supremo would actually abandon the decision of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Seas which rendered a decision in favor of the Philippines as regards its territorial dispute against China by not making any steps to enforce the same, there is already a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER in losing the possibility that the Philippines can retain/retake the disputed territories which the Philippines owned before in favor of China.

When the Chief Executive of the country, espouses anti-poor economic policies like imposing SKYROCKETING TAXES to the detriment of the daily consumption of every citizen because the same give way to inflation of commodities, a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER to the Philippine economy is actually looming.

When the most powerful person of the country tries to persecute his political; rivals by making sham accusations against them for him to silence the former, there is already a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER as to the existing political institutions where his rivals are members and to the honor of his political rivals.

When the number political figure of the country disrespects women, personally berate people who are principle-wise are against him, name calls people, a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER inimical to PHILIPPINE SOCIETAL MORALITY is actually in existence.

And when the people do not notice these happenings, and would even clap their hands in approval to these CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGERS the country are facing, there is already a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER as to the patriotism, sobriety, propriety of each and every Filipino.

THE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THE OPPOSITION SENATORIABLES IN THE LAST CONCLUDED ELECTIONS

Federalism is not very popular in the countryside nowadays, but the same political system may push through because the Senate is now composed of the SUPER MAJORITY coming from PDP-LABAN, HUGPONG NG PAGBABAGO and the coalition of some political parties like LDP and NP.

Federalism is going to divide the country as planned by the current national leadership into (18) eighteen different states. Each State shall have its own government independent and distinct from each other which is also composed of the legislative, executive and judicial departments, and each state shall also have each tax system aside from the tax system from the central government. This very expensive government will make the Philippines poorer.

The current national political system which is presidential/unitary system can only be changed by way of a charter change or constitutional change. The constitutional change proposed by President Duterte in order to shift the system of government from presidential/unitary to federal system was difficult to achieve in the last Congress (2016-2019) considering the larger number of opposition senators in the Senate who opposed the president's plan to change the system of governance,

With the SUPER MAJORITY of the SENATE siding with the president, it seems that FEDERALISM is on its way of existence which will also pave the way for national division and destruction.

Secondly, the TRAIN LAW 2 can be easily passed in the Senate because of the SUPER MAJORITY in the said august national legislative body. Taxes will skyrocket beyond what many could imagine hence, national doomsday is not far from reality.

The senators and the congressmen will turn into presidential robots and all of the measures that the president wishes to pass in both houses of Congress will push through with relatively no opposition thereby will destroy the so-called CHECK AND BALANCE DOCTRINE.

If only the OTSO DIRETSO or the opposition senatoriables have won the last and just concluded senatorial elections, the story could become different for they can check the executive department headed by the president with regard to its legislative agenda and democracy in the Philippines. With the loss of the opposition in the last senatorial elections, I have no other recourse but to cross my fingers and whisper to the heavens that my premonition won't come into fruition.

FORMULA TOWARDS NATIONAL ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION

By Bayawanon

The TRAIN LAW has taken effect already and it is now wreaking havoc in the countryside for it foments inflation. One of the effects of the TRAIN LAW is the skyrocketing prices of rice as opposed to the campaign promise of the president of having cheaper rice as cheap as Php 15.00 per kilo.

Now, the palace by way of Congress has taken bold steps to arrest the so-called RICE PROBLEM by passing the RICE TARIFFICATION LAW. In connection with this law, the National Food Authority will stop licensing and registering entities engaged in rice trading.

Due to the said development rice importation would be as prevalent than before and foreign rice would probably flood in the local market. The truth would tell us that the Philippines is lagging behind her Asian neighbors with regard to rice production, hence the recent passage of the RICE TARIFFICATION LAW would make the problem worse because importation of rice from other countries is no longer regulated.

Secondly, RICE HOARDING on the part of the local rice traders would be a possibility since their CLASS is also deregulated, thus the government is also losing control over them. In connection to this, RICE HOARDERS can easily hide rice products, and when the public lacks the supply of rice, the hoarders may release the rice to the consuming public for business at a much higher price.

It is true that the government can get sizable amount of money from the tariffs it can have from foreign rice importers, but the same importers can easily get back the tariffs they give to the government because they have the free movements of business with regard to rice trading in the Philippines which are not controlled by the government anymore.

With the recent economic slow down due to the TRAIN LAW and by virtue of the passage of the RICE TARIFFICATION LAW, an economic crisis is a possibility, and if that would happen, one can safely say that the steps of the government for an economic turn around like the TRAIN LAW and the RICE TARRIFICATION LAW are not actually steps towards economic leapfrog but a FORMULA TOWARDS NATIONAL ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION.

ONLY A MATTER OF POGI POINTS

By Bayawanon

The rehabilitation of Boracay and the Manila Bay are acts of the president which are very good for the environment and are worthy of praises since these tourist destinations are actually dirty and need to be cleaned up for the betterment of the tourism industry. But to me, these acts of the president are mere POGI POINTS for him to cover his mismanagement of the country.

The good deeds of the president are actually outweighed by his misdeeds which destroy the country. The cleaning up of Boracay and Manila Bay cannot actually outweigh the more than four thousand deaths which happened in connection with the president's war on drugs.

The good deeds of the president can easily be inundated by his indecision of importing Chinese workers over and above the locals, by his indecision of abandoning the decision of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas granting victory in favor to the Philippines and against China as regards the territorial row between the two counties in re the Spratlys, by ordering the killings of the Catholic Bishops, by calling GOD as stupid, by his sexist remarks against women, by defending his son and his peers in the matter of alleged drug trade and smuggling.

The good deeds of the president can easily be erased by the high taxes his government is imposing against the taxpayers, by preferring his peers as to granting of contracts in government against their business rivals, by prosecuting his political enemies and by freeing his political allies alleged and accused of corruption, etc. etc.

With things going from good to worst in the Philippines in his national leadership, it seems like his good acts of cleaning up Boracay and Manila Bay are acts of plasticity, that the same are just mere POGI POINTS for him to let the unbelievers believe him and the ones following him praise him like their god.

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE PEOPLE'S MINDS

By Bayawanon

Is it normal for the people who support a leader who curses GOD, order the execution of the Bishops and a leader who espouse extra-judicial killings? Is it normal for the people who support the national leader who turned his back from being patriotic by almost selling the Philippines islands to the foreigners?

Is it normal for the people who support a national leader who does not have that so-called POLITICAL CORRECTNESS because his words that are hooked up by media internationally are actually against the morals of man?

Is it normal for the people who clap their hands because of the so-called social cleansing but does not care about the state of the economy of the country?

If the people condone such kind of a leader, then there must be a problem with their minds. The leader is elected by the citizens themselves is the MIRROR of what kind of people they are.

If the national leader whom the people have voted upon is the MIRROR of what kind of voters they are, are the PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES nowadays, bloodthirsty, immoral, corrupt, naive and godless?

When the president hurls insults to his enemies, everything he discusses is considered to be regular and when the opposition take barbs against him everyone in the Philippines raises their eyebrows. Is that the way morons love their leader-moron too?

Former U.S. Senator and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry once said that in America, the people have the right to be crazy, now can I safely say that it is also applicable in the Philippines?

PSYCHOLOGY OF A FILIPINO VOTER PART IV (FANATICISM)

By Bayawanon

One of the prevalent bad characteristics of Filipino voters is their being FANATICS. Some if not most of them, vote for their POLITICAL IDOLS, even if many of them cannot deliver the things that are expected of them. Most of the Filipino voters vote for and in favor of personalities and not of issues, and the majority of the politicians whom they idolize come from the entertainment industry like the professional basketball players, movie actors/actresses, professional boxers, singers etc. whom we feel like nothing to offer with regard to public service.

Plenty of the Filipinos would vote for the officials who have sub-standard projects because according to them, these officials have innumerable projects, not knowing that the projects that were/are built by their idols were/are below sub-par since some of the money intended for such projects were actually pocketed by their icons

Some if not majority of the Filipino voters, vote for the so-called 'messiahs' who can probably save the Philippines from the abyss, who in turn can make the country worst from bad. They sometimes tend to vote for would be national leaders who have limited national experience, leaders who enjoyed local preponderance in their locality, whom they feel like good national managers sans national experience.

The limitations of national experience of their political idols would have been an issue in the campaign trail, but without hesitation, they vote for their icons because of too much idolatry or of too many promises, promises which can probably make dead people rise from their graves, which actually, in turn, make alive people bury for their graves.

The voters whom I discussed above usually rely on their gut-feel, that the would be leaders that they would be voting can deliver the basic goods and services that they are needing. The question now is this, how can an entertainer be an effective leader in a field that she/he has no training or has limited training? How can a leader of a locality be directly a good national leader when in fact he/she has limited if not bereft of national experience?

The people usually vote because of one's popularity and not of one's capability, and it is purely and simply called FANATICISM. If this trend would continue in the Philippine political setting, do you think the Philippines would go places and greater heights in terms of development? Does the Philippines need a long time to mature politically because of this trend? These questions can simply be answered by the political events that happen in the country in the past few years, and I hope that these queries can be answered in the affirmative.

PSYCHOLOGY OF A FILIPINO VOTER (POLITICAL AMBIVALENCE) PART III

By Bayawanon

Majority of the Filipino voters do not like corruption in government, but they are fond of selling their votes. Most of the Filipino citizens would like change for the better be effected in the Philippines, but they welcome violent steps toward change like executing the undesirable citizens of the country without trial. These happenings are clearly, plainly and simply types of ambivalence, because the populace in this regard is contradicting themselves.

How can one phase out corruption if he/she is the very first who sells his/her vote? Can you expect a politician who has bought votes and wins an election to be incorruptible? How can a politician get back the capital that he has invested in the elections if he/she won't adventure in corruption? In view of this, a corrupt free society would just be a dream if the people would continue their political ambivalence by always contradicting themselves, and that is selling their votes with the hope that the ones that would win the elections would not try to siphon the coffers of the government.

How can one dream of a new society? How can one realize a society of change, when she/he supports violence in effecting change? This fact is also an ambivalence on the part of the voters themselves since violence is a way of destroying a society and not a step towards effecting change.

If these trends that are being mentioned above continue to exist, what do you think? Will there be a better future for the Filipinos? Will there be a great leap for us Filipinos towards a better tomorrow when we ourselves are our own enemies towards a brighter future?

DISBARRABLE

By Bayawanon

In a televised interview, Secretary Delfin Lorenzana of the Department of National Defense had recognized the arrival of Solicitor General Jose Calida in his office. Secretary Delfin Lorenzana would further recognize the fact that Solicitor General Jose Calida would ask his office to produce the amnesty records of the then Philippine Navy Lt. Sr. Grade and now Philippine Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV.

After Sol Gen Calida's appearance at the National Defense Headquarters, the amnesty records of Trillanes are nowhere to be found, and a Presidential Proclamation revoking Trillanes's amnesty was issued by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on the ground that Senator Trillanes has not filed an application for amnesty, thereby making the amnesty of Trillanes void ab initio.

Because of the facts being alluded above, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV alleged that Sol. Gen. Jose Calida had stolen his amnesty records, purposely lost it. made it appear that Trillanes never applied for amnesty and made steps that Trillanes's amnesty is revoked.

Such a conduct of the Solicitor General was a conduct unbecoming of a gentleman, government official, member of the bar and officer of the Court if the accusation of Trillanes that the good Solicitor General had stolen his amnesty records is true. Assuming arguendo, that Solicitor General Jose Calida had stolen the amnesty records of Senator Trillanes, such act of Sol. Gen. Calida must be frowned upon for it gives dishonor to the Philippine Bar, in connection to this he must be checked and must be disciplined, since as a member of the bar he is an officer of the court and of the community, but he gives dishonor to the community where he belongs and the Philippine Bar also.

In a litany of disbarment cases, the Philippine Supreme Court had enumerated the grounds for disbarment, and two of the grounds for disbarment had been committed by Sol. Gen Calida which are inter alia: 1) Deceit; and 2) Violation of the Lawyer's oath.

It is very clear that Sol. Gen. Jose Calida had employed deceit by barging on the Defense Chief's Office and have the amnesty records of Trillanes perused, lost the same and used its loss in the revocation of Trillanes's amnesty, the same act is also a violation of the Lawyer's Oath which provides that a lawyer shall not employ falsehood in filing cases in court and shall not file cases in court coupled with malice. By virtue of the foregoing premises, I believe and I can safely say, that Sol. Gen. Jose Calida is DISBARRABLE.

NO CASE TO TALK ABOUT

By Bayawanon

Art. 7, section 19, paragraph 2 of the Philippine Constitution provides that the president has the power to grant amnesty and that the amnesty that he has granted to anyone shall be concurred by Congress.
The said provision of the Philippine Constitution does not qualify that the AMNESTY that can be given by the president shall be a SPECIFIC or a GENERAL AMNESTY. Presidential Proclamation number 75 issued by former President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in favor of the military officers involved in the military power struggle which happened at the Manila Peninsula Hotel, Oakwood Hotel and the Philippine Marine Headquarters, including then Philippine Navy Lt. Senior Grade Antonio F. Trillanes was a GENERAL AMNESTY which was concurred by Congress.

There is no hard and fast rule as regards to that constitutional provision, since in STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION, "inclusio unius est exclusio alterius" which in English means "what is not included is deemed excluded" In view of this, the GENERAL AMNESTY issued by then President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to Trillanes and company would already suffice, since Article 7 section 19 par. 2 does not provide for the yardstick of the issuance of an amnesty.

The rebellion, coup deta't and court-martial charges against then Navy Lt. Senior Grade Antonio F. Trillanes IV and company were all dismissed by the military and the civil courts by virtue of the GENERAL AMNESTY issued by then President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III. Such GENERAL AMNESTY was in line with. the constitution since the same was concurred by Congress

Granting arguendo (for the sake of argument) that as a matter of technicality, a POLITICAL AMNESTY can be revoked by the succeeding president, who is against the former president, it would follow that the revocation of the said amnesty must be in line with its grant, that is IT MUST 

BE ALSO CONCURRED BY CONGRESS.
Assuming further for the sake of argument, that the AMNESTY given to Senator Trillanes by the then President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III was properly, legally revoked by the current and most popular president, it would seem that the refiling of rebellion, coup deta't and court-martial charges against him are of no moment and of no merit, since such legal moves on the part of the president and his legal team would constitute DOUBLE JEOPARDY.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY is that procedural defense that provides that a case cannot be refiled against an accused who was validly acquitted of the crime charged against him. Trillanes's case was dismissed by the civil courts and such a DISMISSAL is also considered technically as ACQUITTAL on his part, hence refiling of criminal and court-martial charges against him which were dismissed in his favor many years ago constitutes DOUBLE JEOPARDY. The cases refiled against Senator Trillanes which were dismissed by way of the political amnesty he has secured before must be thrown to the smokey mountain for the SAME IS NOT A CASE AT ALL but a step towards political persecution.

TRILLANES'S AMNESTY CANNOT BE REVOKED

By Bayawanon

Former Philippine Navy Lt. Senior Grade and now Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes's amnesty cannot be revoked by President Rodrigo Duterte on the following grounds: 1) There is no law that provides for the grounds of revocation of amnesty; 2) Amnesty may only be revoked by the one who granted it; 3) Granting that amnesty can be revoked, it shall be concurred by Congress, since the grant of the same needs congressional approval. Let me discuss it below:

1) THERE IS NO LAW THAT PROVIDES FOR THE GROUNDS OF REVOCATION OF AN AMNESTY.

After having scoured the internet, I have found out that there is no law being constructed that provides for the grounds of a revocation of an amnesty. In connection to this, we may ask, how can a legal political right like amnesty be cut-off when there is no law that provides it?

Cutting it off without any legal precedence is a big legal joke. Is the president simply joking by rescinding Trillanes's amnesty or is he simply, legally ignorant?

President Duterte's ground in revoking Trillanes's amnesty is the possibility that Trillanes never applied for amnesty before the legal authorities, but pictures and videos would show otherwise. Secondly, how can Trillanes get amnesty if he did not apply for it?

2) THE AMNESTY GRANTED MAY ONLY BE REVOKED BY THE ONE WHO GRANTED IT.

Logically, the one who can get back a thing from grantee shall be the one who granted it, since one cannot give what he does not have and in contrast, one cannot take back what he does not own.

Is it not that the one who granted amnesty to former Navy Lieutenant Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes IV was President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III and not President Rodrigo Duterte? If logic would rightfully guide us that only the one who granted something to someone can take it back, then President Duterte has no power to revoke the amnesty granted to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV by former President Benigno Simeon Aquino IV.

3) GRANTING OF AMNESTY SHALL BE CONCURRED BY CONGRESS IF IT SHALL BE REVOKED IT SHALL ALSO BE CONCURRED BY CONGRESS As A MATTER OF LOGIC.

The Philippine constitution provides that amnesty is a presidential prerogative that needs congressional concurrence, hence it would follow also, that if another president cuts it off, it shall also be approved by Congress.

As of press time President Duterte has directed all of the armed personnel to implement his directive to arrest Trillanes immediately, this act of his is not in consonance with the constitution which is the highest law of the land.

BAYAWAN CITY : A NICE PLACE TO LIVE IN

Bayawan City, Negros Oriental is just a two and a half hours ride from the provincial capital of Negros Oriental, the City of Dumaguete. It is a home to beautiful, peace-loving people called the Bayawanons.

Bayawan City is dubbed as the 'Rice granary of Negros Oriental" for having the widest rice plantations in Negros Oriental composed of thousands of hectarage of rice. Sugar cane is also widely being planted in places where rice is not suitable to be planted.

Fishing is another source of income to the scores of citizens in the city since the city is a fishing ground for many fishermen both from the locality and elsewhere. There were times in the pages of the history of Bayawan that national and local officials were plotting for the establishment of a fish port in the city because of the fact that its waters are actually a good fishing ground for everyone because the same is blessed with graces from the sea.

Aside from farming and fishing, Bayawan City also boasts about its beaches, springs, falls, forest and water reserves. These natural and beautiful works of nature allure the eyes of every individual who wants to roam and discover such kind of GOD's creations.

The forest and water reserves of Danapa and Malampa, which can all be found in Bayawan City are two big signs that GOD loves the people of Bayawan. The beauteous falls of Niludhan, Lourdes, Mantapi, Ayum, Tiago, Doga, Habhaban to name a few are gargantuan evidence that the Bayawanons are as beautiful like these bodies of waters which were also masterfully created by the SUPREME BEING.

To me living in Bayawan is like living in that legendary "Garden of Eden" and leaving Bayawan in exchange for another place would be likened to an exile in the wilderness. The majestic falls of Bayawan, captivate everyone's eyes and the friendliness of its people would magically invite everyone to sojourn in this beautiful city, I call home.

In connection to this, I am inviting everyone to visit the land of my birth, Bayawan City, a very beautiful city that is full of nature's beauty, for anyone to discover it and be amazed of one of GOD's beautiful inventions.

--By Bayawanon

GRAVE ABUSE OF DISCRETION

Former Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno would not have been removed by the Supreme Court by way of Quo Warranto on THREE GROUNDS to wit: 1) Impeachable officials of the land like the President, Vice President, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT, Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, Ombudsman and Chairmen and Commissioners of the Independent constitutional bodies like the Commission on Elections, Commission on Audit and the Civil Service Commission can only be removed from their respective offices only BY WAY OF IMPEACHMENT; 2.) Granting arguendo that there are grounds for a Quo Warranto complaint against the former Chief Justice through Rule 66 of the Civil Procedure of the Philippines, yet under Section 11 of the same RULE, the proper complaint of Quo Warranto against the former Chief Justice should have been filed within one year within which the legal issues against her had stemmed; and 3.) The Quo Warranto complaint against the former Chief Justice would have been outrightly dismissed by the Supreme Court, since there is an earlier impeachment complaint filed against the Chief Justice, and filing two cases against her with almost the same causes of action tantamounts to FORUM SHOPPING which is not permitted by the law.

The provisions of the laws that I have invoked are very clear and because of these, the Quo Warranto complaint filed by the Solicitor General against the former Chief Justice would not have been given effect and legal credence by the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court themselves, the former subordinates of the former chief magistrate of the land.

We all know that many Associate Justices of the Supreme Court were overtaken by the former Chief Justice Sereno who also applied for the coveted post of Chief Justice when she applied for the same post. The same Associate Justices have an ax to grind with her for having been bypassed in her favor.

Many current Associate Justices of the Supreme Court have already testified against the former Chief Justice before the Committee on Justice of the House of Representatives as regards to the impeachment complaint filed against her in such a forum. Witnessing against her in that legal venue and judging against her in the Supreme Court is clearly a mockery of justice. The said Associate Justices should have disqualified or inhibited themselves in trying the former Chief Justice in the Quo Warranto proceedings filed against her to show IMPARTIALITY, because like Ceasar's wife every magistrate or judge must always be above an iota of suspicion.

Taking the former Chief Justice Sereno out of her office not in consonance with the pertinent laws of the Republic in the matter of expelling a Chief Magistrate of the land and by depending more on hurt feelings and emotions tantamount to the commission of GRAVE ABUSE OF DISCRETION on the part of the EIGHT (8) Associate Justices of the Supreme Court who ousted her from the helm of the Highest Tribunal of the land, purely and simply speaking.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF A FILIPINO VOTER: NON-USAGE OF DISCERNMENT (PART 2)

By Bayawanon

Most of the Filipino voters usually believe in black propaganda against other candidates without ascertaining the veracity of the same. Time and again the voters usually jump into conclusion into the issues hurled by some candidates against their fellow candidates, this sad part of Philippine politics affects the chances of good candidates winning a political seat for the good of the voting populace.

Fake news is now proliferating anywhere just to promote a political persona and/or to destroy the reputation of a candidate vying for a political post. To make the problem worse, the voters fall prey to this kind of innuendos, even without investigations. What happened next is, the next to be elected set of leaders usually are the liars.

Black propaganda and fake news are unfair to the ones being hit by it, but what makes the story sadder, is when the public believe it. When the public believes the manufactured stories against some candidates, some of which are even good ones, the public clearly would miss the quality brand of service the good ones who are being victimized by fake news can deliver them and may even elect the bad ones who may destroy the society further.

If the people would not know how to discern what is a reality from farce, then the society that they inhabit would be full of lies and everyone living therein would be under a slavery of lies, which would somehow damage the community.

In connection with these realities, I feel like the people need to be politically educated further, in order for them to be more discerning and to be more investigative. When they start to investigate, they might probably find the truth. When they would find the truth, they may elect the right leaders to lead them the right way and to spearhead them towards prosperity, order, equality, peace, justice, etc.etc.

THE BALANCE OF POWER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA STILL TILTS IN FAVOR OF AMERICA

By Bayawanon

Everyone is concerned about the gain of strength of China in the field of international and geopolitics because of its dominance in the East Asian and Southeast Asian regions because of the military and naval might of China, but as I try to dig deeper and analyze the situation in Southeast Asia, the balance of power still tilts in favor of America.

It is true that Cambodia and Laos are satellite states of China, and the Philippines is now siding with China thereby giving China an upper hand in these countries. These countries can be used by China militarily and commercially but the rest of Southeast Asia is not a supporter of China.

Singapore which is a former British colony is a natural ally of the United States because of its former colonial master Great Britain, which is a traditional ally of America. Indonesia who has a territorial and maritime dispute with China would clearly side with the United States. Malaysia which is also a former British colony would also side with the U.S. since America is a friend of Great Britain, Malaysia's former colonial master and at the same time, Malaysia has also a maritime and territorial row with China.

Vietnam, a communist country is not a Chinese ally anymore though China is also a communist country like Vietnam since China has long strained diplomatic relations with Vietnam due to their maritime and territorial differences as regards the Spratly and the Paracel group of islands. The dispute between these two communist countries cannot easily be healed since the two countries had a naval battle which happened in the late 1970's which sprouted from their squabble out of the Paracels. Vietnam lost that ill-fated naval battle and the same still hates China because of it.

There is a STATUS QUO in Thailand, Brunie, East Timor and Burma between America and China, since these four countries are more or less neutral ones, hence the groupings would be Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam are for the United States, on the other hand, Laos. The Philippines and Cambodia would side with China.

To sum it up, America has more allies in Southeast Asia over China, even though China would like to own the rest of the South China Sea for her to dominate not just the South East Asian and East Asian regions but also the South Pacific Rim. If China has now naval bases in the Philippine side by way of its three reefs that are being used by China as its naval headquarters, Vietnam may let the Americans use the Cam Ranh Bay for the same to check the Chinese attempted military and naval dominance in the region. The Cam Ranh Bay which housed the Soviets' military base is much larger compared to the ones established by the Chinese over the three Philippine reefs, ergo America has an advantage over China if there's going to be a Chinese-American War in the South East Asian region.

THE PRESENT PHILIPPINE ECONOMY IS NOT GOOD

By Bayawanon

The president would claim that the Philippine economy is doing good but why is it that the dollar is getting stronger over the peso? The economic managers of the president would tell us that the economy is getting better compared to the last presidency but why is it that the inflation rate in the present administration is much higher compared to to the last one? The president's followers would claim that the economy is strengthening but why is it that the present administration would raise gargantuan taxes to finance the operation of the government?

The dollar-peso rate rose from one dollar ($1.00) to forty-six (Php 46.00) rate when the new Philippine president ascended to the presidency, now it's already one dollar ($1.00) as against fifty-two pesos (Php 52.00), in short the peso weakened as against the dollar for six pesos in just a matter of twenty (20) months. Does it mean that the Philippine economy is becoming bullish as the Philippine president and his economic managers would claim?

The investments of the European Union and the United States and their allies are getting smaller and the investments of China and Russia are getting stronger in the Philippine market, does it mean that the economic market become more competitive or does it mean that free market becomes weaker?

Many foreign investors would also shy away from investing in the Philippines because of its peace and order situation. The Marawi War and the extrajudicial killings contributed much to the non-investment of some foreign businessmen in the Philippines and because of this the income of the Philippines derived from business would be affected.

The high cost in doing business in the Philippines made many foreign investors withdraw from doing business in the Philippines as of last year, how much more that everything that needs to be taxed is getting to be taxed dearly too nowadays because of the TRAIN LAW?

The spiking of the taxes and the strengthening of the dollar are two indications that the economy is weakening since the same would contribute to the inflation rate. If the taxes and the dollar would get higher, naturally the prices of the commodities would follow to rise. In a country where there is no salary increase aside from the police force and the soldiers and there is an unreasonable tax hike, how do you rate the country's economy? Is it good or is it worsening?

If the national market is only dominated by two or three foreign country investors it would follow that the free market is weak, henceforth there is a dramatic lowering number of foreign investors doing business in the country. In a situation like this, the taxes and levies the government get from the said foreign investors are getting lower since the Philippine market nowadays is being dominated only by China. Does it mean that the Philippine economy is getting better? The answer would then be of course in the negative.

In view of the foregoing reasons, a non-economist like me can simply surmise that the Philippine economy is not getting better and needs to be overhauled for the same to be healthy again.

COLONIZATION FOR FREE

By Bayawanon

After the historic Battle of Manila Bay which happened on May 1, 1898 between the flotilla of naval ships under the command of the legendary American Commodore soon to be Admiral George Dewey and the Spanish navy, which the Americans easily won and after the Treaty of Paris where the Kingdom of Spain ceded her rights as regards the Philippines to the United States of America for and in consideration of twenty million dollars ($ 20,000,000.00), the Philippines became a colony of the United States of America. Through this historic development, the Philippines became a Commonwealth of the United States of America and became part and parcel of the latter for the next forty-eight (48) years.

Such facts are recorded in the history books and cannot be disputed by anyone and such facts would bolster the reality that the Philippines was colonized by America through war and eventually by way of purchase. After years of independence the Philippines became a good partner of America in business and some other ventures by way of legal means, America gained in the process and so does the Philippines.

On the other hand, a rising Asian neighbor which became a political hegemon in the country of China became aggressive against her neighbors and started to do her own colonization for free by grabbing islets and islands belonging to her neighbors. This kind of mini-colonization is not comparable to the USA's colonization of the Philippines since the same was done through war and purchase.

Four islands/reefs coming from the Philippine side were taken by China namely: 1) The Subi Reef; 2) The Fiery Cross Reef 3) The Mischief Reef and the 4) Scarborough Shoal. Three of these islands or reefs were already militarized by China by building military installations therein. The Philippines via the diplomatic corpse of the former Philippine President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino filed a case against China as regards the ownership of these islands before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas which resulted to the Philippine victory, but such judicial victory by the Philippines over her gigantic neighbor became nothing when China dishonored it and when the succeeding Philippine president never followed up the judicial territorial victory the Philippines have over China.

What makes the story sadder is the fact that the Philippines through its newly elected president loaned from China a gargantuan sum of money with gigantic interest rates, bigger compared to the interest rates from other international groups, agencies or aggregates not to mention the fact that China became the leading investor easily over and above many countries in the Philippines in many business ventures.

THESE FACTS POINT CLEARLY TO ONE THING, China is colonizing the Philippines for free. If many political activists were crying foul as to the colonization of the USA over the Philippines and by the commercial imperialization of the same over the latter when the United States bought the Philippines from the Spaniards, then we must cry harder because CHINA IS COLONIZING THE PHILIPPINES FOR FREE.