Ready to vote come 2010? Have you checked that you are, indeed, a registered voter in the Philippines?

I wasn’t sure myself, since I thought that you had to register every single time. I only registered once, when I turned 18. That was… OMG, almost ten years ago!

To check that you’re a registered voter, and to know which precinct you’re registered to vote in, you can click here.

That is the COMELEC Registration Tool. You will be brought to a page with a form that looks like this:

Just enter your name and birthday, and press Find Now. The website will then return your voter details if you are a registered voter. Check out my details! (Erasures are mine. Just playing it safe. )

If you just registered this year, don’t fret if your details don’t come up. I asked a friend of mine who is a new voter, and she says her name doesn’t come up.

They do have a disclaimer. It says: If you applied for registration, transfer, correction of entries/change of name or reactivation starting 01 April 2009, your record is not yet included here.

Perhaps the COMELEC is too busy to add the new voters to the system?

Around lunchtime today, Cory Aquino’s funeral procession slowly passed along Ayala Avenue. My officemates and I went down (from our office up at the 20th floor) to watch the procession.

I took photos, but all I had was my cellphone camera with me, so the following photos aren’t good. But they’re all I have, and it was a significant occasion in Philippine history, and I’m glad I have these snapshots, at least, to remember the day by.

This is around 12:00pm. From the 20th floor, we could already see the hearst nearing Ayala, so my officemate and I went down to watch the procession. We would be waiting quite a while, since the procession was moving very slowly.

Since 11am, people had been throwing confetti from the buildings. It looked like it was raining yellow bits of paper.

People started climbing up the fences and standing there just to get a better glimpse of Cory’s casket.

This man is actually flashing Cory’s symbol, the L sign. Except I didn’t capture his thumb. Fail me.

The confetti at our feet. I feel for those who had to clean up Ayala Avenue afterwards.

The crowd just kept getting bigger every minute.

Hang a yellow ribbon for Cory. Buildings glittered with yellow ribbons as people paid their last respects.

Lots and lots of yellow ribbons.

And even more confetti.

So much confetti!

My hair was all covered in confetti after standing outside for 30 minutes! And I was standing in the building lobby!

People flew flags bearing Ninoy’s face.

People waiting, flags waving…

So much confetti it started to look like ashes from a newly erupted volcano.

People stopped working to watch the procession.

Funny thing. We were so hungry already so we went inside Jollibee to buy food. And right when we were buying, Cory’s casket passes by! Urrgh! So I took this photo from inside Jollibee. Fail fail fail me.

Now from the outside, but there wasn’t much to see. There were too many people blocking the view.

After buying our food and going up the pantry, we could see the procession below. I attempted to take a photo, but it was too much for my cellphone. LOL. This is the best I got.

Rest in peace, Cory Aquino. We love you.

Here is the Inquirer article about the Cory’s funeral procession.

Edsa a stream of yellow; Makati rains confetti

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 7) Former President Corazon Aquino drew tens of thousands to the streets one last time on Monday, amid an outpouring of support reminiscent of the 1986 revolt that she led to restore democracy in the country.
Yellow confetti rained and people flashed the “laban [fight]” hand sign as Aquino’s funeral procession motored from the La Salle Greenhills gymnasium to the Manila Cathedral, passing by Edsa and Ayala Avenue, the main staging points for the bloodless uprising over 20 years ago.
However, there was no “Cory” to wave back at the adoring crowd. Instead it was her flower-adorned casket on top a six-wheeler truck that passed by. Tied to the vehicle was a white tarpaulin with the words “Mahal ka namin [We love you], Cory.”
As Aquino’s cortege passed through Edsa from La Salle Greenhills at 11 a.m., the former leader was greeted by a stream of yellow – from people’s shirts to the balloons they were holding.
In Makati City, thousands more, mostly in yellow shirts flashed the “L” sign as they lined up along Ayala Avenue. Office employees, some perched on building ledges, threw yellow confetti as the funeral convoy passed.
The scenes were reminiscent of 1986 when Aquino, then the opposition’s presidential candidate, led massive protests against dictator Ferdinand Marcos whom she accused of cheating in the snap presidential elections. The protests eventually led to a bloodless people power revolt that ousted Marcos and installed her as the first female president of the Philippines.
When the funeral cortege reached the monument of Mrs. Aquino’s late husband, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., on the intersection of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, the crowd of thousands simultaneously sang “Bayan Ko” (My Country) and again flashed the “Laban” sign.
Instead of stock prices, the Philippine Stock Exchange ticker turned yellow and displayed a message thanking the democracy icon.
Mrs. Aquino’s younger brother, Jose Cojuangco Jr., led his clan from Tarlac in joining the funeral procession to the Manila Cathedral. Cojuangco, overwhelmed by the thousands who lined up Ayala Ave., flashed the “laban” sign to the crowd and reached out to shake the hands of some of the people there, saying thank you.
Police estimated the crowd in Makati at 25,000, while those that lined up along Edsa were estimated at 5,000, said Superintendent Rommel Miranda, spokesman of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
In the area of the La Salle Greenhills gymnasium, where the funeral procession started, the crowd was estimated at 30,000 to 40,000, said Senior Superintendent Carlos de Sagun, Mandaluyong City police chief.
Four honor guards stood by Aquino’s flower-adorned casket. Around 50 policemen from escorted the procession, which moved slowly because of the huge crowds.
Yellow confetti greeted the funeral procession as it arrived at the Manila Cathedral at around 4 p.m., two hours behind schedule.
The former leader’s children escorted her remains, including her daughter Kris Aquino, who was with her husband, basketball player James Yap and their children Joshua and James Jr. Mrs. Aquino’s son, Senator Benigno Aquino III was at the cathedral ahead of his sisters.
Upon arrival, the former leader was given military honors, followed by prayers from Bishops Socrates Villegas and Broderick Pabillo.
People cheered and raised their hands with the famous “laban” [fight] sign as they saluted the icon of democracy.
“Hindi ka namin malilimutan Madam President [We will never forget you Madam President]!” an elderly woman said as she wiped her tears.
“Maraming salamat po, Tita Cory (Thank you very much, Tita Cory),” a student said as the truck carrying Aquino’s hearse passed by Palacio del Gobernador.
Employees of the Commission on Elections unfurled yellow banners and a large white tarpaulin written with the words “Salamat Pres. Cory.” (Thank you, Pres. Cory)
Aquino’s wake at the Manila Cathedral was opened to the public shortly after the prayers, with the public advised to enter through General Luna Street. Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales was scheduled to celebrate mass in the evening.
Among those who were at the Manila Cathedral were Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, former Ambassadors Henrietta de Villa and Howard Dee, Black and White Movement convenor Leah Navarro, and political analyst Lito Banayo.
So far, only Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. was the only administration figure spotted at the cathedral.
For the necrological service, vigil, and requiem mass for Aquino at the Manila Cathedral, the following areas are closed to traffic from 9 a.m. Monday until Wednesday:
Stretch of A. Soriano from Arsobispo to Solano;‬
Stretch of Magallanes from A. Soriano to Sta. Potenciana;‬
Stretch of Cablido from A. Soriano to Sta. Potenciana;‬
Stretch of Gen Luna from A. Soriano to Sta. Potenciana;‬
Stretch of Sto. Tomas from Gen. Luna to Magallanes;‬
Stretch of Beatro from Gen. Luna to Magallanes;‬
Stretch of Anda from Gen. Luna to Magallanes;‬
Stretch of Real from Gen, Luna to Magallanes.
The Stretch of A. Soriano from Gen. Luna to Cabildo was closed to traffic starting at 6:00 a.m. August 3 until 5.

Update: The tables have turned, and I must apologize. At the time that I posted this condemnation of Valley Golf and the Pangandamans, I believed Ms Bambee dela Paz’s blog post to be true. It now appears that her account may be biased, inaccurate and overstated. I say may be, because I am loathe to fully trust unverified sources any longer, as I did in my very embarrassing post below.

More light has been shed on this issue, and the (unofficial) sides of Valley Golf (here, here, here and here) and the Pangandamans have been revealed, and it seems Bambee was not telling the whole truth. It appears that it was the dela Paz family that breached golf etiquette by throwing golf balls at the Pangandamans, and that the fight was instigated by Mr. Delfin dela Paz unreasonably poking Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr. with an umbrella. The mayor poked back, which resulted in a brawl between the two men, with Bino joining in the fight and breaking the mayor’s wrists (unverified) with his driver (that thing at the end of the stick that hits the golf ball), and Bambee scratching the face of the elder Pangandaman brother.

Still, even though the dela Paz family started and put up a big fight, it was noted that it was the dela Paz family, in the end, who sustained worse injuries. So the Pangandamans are not faultless, either. In the end, both families did the wrong thing, and no one was exactly innocent or blameless. And it is only right that Valley Golf banned both families from ever entering the club again.

So I apologize to my readers for writing a very biased and emotional post here, and for condemning the Pangandaman family and the Valley Golf Country Club before knowing all sides of the story.

This mayor in the picture, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr. of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur is a disgusting turd of a person, as many politicians in the Philippines are. So is his father Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr., who probably was the one who taught his son that cheating is okay, and that violence will stop people from telling others you cheated.


Well, they’re both very, very wrong.

A family of three (a 56-year old man named Delfin de la Paz, his son and his daughter) were golfing at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo a day after Christmas. The mayor (Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr.) and his posse breaches etiquette and passes their flight without a word, and so Mr. de la Paz comes up to them to ask them why they did not even stop to ask their permission.

In response to that, the mayor punches and boxes the old man until he bleeds. Even when the father can no longer get up, the mayor’s men (five bodyguards, FIVE!!!) tackle him and beat him to a pulp. When the 14-year old son tries to help by asking for mercy, they turn on him too and beat him up. They even pulled their handguns out and threatened to kill them when all the family had to defend themselves was a measly umbrella.

What’s worse than a group of armed politicians beating up an unarmed old man? The management and staff of a golf club who were there THE WHOLE TIME and did NOTHING! Nothing but watch and then afterwards tell the beaten up family to LEAVE!!! The old man was bleeding and half-unconscious but no doctor was called, no assistance offered. Only an order to leave the premises. As if the old man and his children were the perpetrators of the crime and not the victims.

To everyone, don’t ever got the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo!!! Tell all your friends! Let this company rot in social  and economic hell!

The story has been picked up by the media and is spreading like wildfire. Good, let these people get the shame and ridicule they deserve. And a long sentence in prison too, hopefully.

Read the daughter’s blog here.

From GMA News:

The Antipolo police said Saturday that they would file physical injuries charges against the son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr. and five bodyguards for beating up two golfers at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo on Friday afternoon.

Facing charges are DAR chief’s son Nasser Pangandaman Jr., who is mayor of Masiu in Lanao del Sur, and his five bodyguards, a report on DZBB said. They were accused by Delfin de la Paz, 56. De la Paz claimed that Pangandaman and his bodyguard mauled him and his 14-year-old son after a brief spat inside the golf course.

Meanwhile, GMANews.TV learned that Pangandaman Jr has filed a counter-complaint against his accuser at the police station in Mayamot, Antipolo.

The lead investigator of the case said they found out that only Pangandaman Jr. and the five bodyguards took part in the mauling of De la Paz. Earlier reports said the elder Pangandaman also hurt De la Paz.

Radio dzRH earlier reported that the De la Paz family filed on Friday night a complaint with the Antipolo police for physical injuries and violation of the law protecting women and minors.

From ABS-CBN:

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr. and his son allegedly mauled two golf players, including a 14-year-old boy, inside a golf club in Antipolo City, Rizal province, on Friday afternoon.

Delfin dela Paz and his 14-year-old son, Bino, went to the Antipolo City police station and filed complaints of serious physical injuries and violation of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children, against Pangandaman and his son, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman Jr. of Masiu, Lanao del Sur.

Dela Paz told Antipolo City police investigators that he and his son were already on hole No. 6 of the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City, when the younger Pangandaman tried to overtake them, which they said was against golf etiquette.

The victim said he got mad and tried to complain, but he was suddenly mauled by the mayor and his bodyguards. He added that his son tried to pacify the mayor, but, he too, was mauled by the group.

After the incident, dela Paz said he went to the country club’s front desk to complain, but he was followed and mauled again by the mayor and his bodyguards. Dela Paz said Secretary Pangandaman was one of the men who allegedly mauled him and his son at the country club’s front desk. While being mauled, dela Paz said he saw the younger Pangandaman pull out a gun, which alarmed other people at the golf club.

After the incident dela Paz’s daughter Bambee wrote about the incident in her blog site, where she also said the staff and management of the golf club did not help them after the incident.

“None of the security guards even tried to stop the fight. Right in the clubhouse…. The general manager of Valley Golf would not give us the names of the men who made my brother’s ear bleed. It took him an hour. Maybe even more than that. He seemed to not want to help us,” she wrote in her blog.

The management of the golf club, meanwhile, has not yet issued any statement as of posting time.Pangandaman was recently appointed to the government’s peace panel with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

From Abante Tonite:

Sugatan ang isang mag-amang manlalaro ng golf makaraang pagtulu­ngan umanong gulpihin ng anak at bodyguard ni Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Nasser Pangandaman sa loob ng Valley Golf and Country Club sa Antipolo City, Rizal kahapon ng hapon.

Habang sinusulat ang balitang ito ay ginagamot naman sa Manila East Medical Center ang mag-amang sina Delfin dela Paz, 56, negos­yante at Bino Lorenzo, 14, isang junior golfer ng Phi­lippine Team at nakatira sa Magnolia Town and Country Executive Village, Bgy. Mayamot, Antipolo, Rizal, sanhi ng mga tinamong sugat sa mukha, tenga at katawan.

Sinabi umano ng ibang naglalaro ng golf kung sino ang nambugbog sa mag-ama at nalaman din nila ito sa pamamagitan ng logbook ng golf club na si Angel Pangandaman at ang mga bodyguard na sina Payzar Abdulaa, Mohammad Hussie, Abdan Pacasuma, Rene Magaque at Arnel Astacio.

Nandoon umano sa golf club si Sec. Pangandaman nang mangyari ang insidente at nakatingin lamang ito habang nagka­kagulo.

Base sa report nina PO1 Anna Francisco at Anjerico Magallanes ng Antipolo Police Station-Cri­minal Investigation Division, dakong ala-1:30 ng hapon nang maganap ang insidente sa Hole No. 5 ng South Course Valley Golf and Country Club na matatagpuan sa Don Celso S. Tuazon Avenue, Antipolo City.

Base naman sa salaysay ni Marie Dhel dela Paz, 18, kasalukuyan silang naglalaro ng golf sa Hole No. 5 ng kanyang ama at kapatid na si Bino Lorenzo nang dumating ang grupo ni Sec. Pangandaman kasama ang anak nitong si Angel at ang limang bodyguard.

Bigla na lamang umano sila nilampasan ng lugar ng grupo sa halip na sila ang maunang maglaro sa naturang butas. Dahil dito, sinita umano ni G. Dela Paz ang batang Pangandaman at sinabihan na hindi sila dapat manguna sa lugar hanggang sa nagtalo ang dalawa.

Sa kalagitnaan ng pagtatalo ay agad umanong lumapit ang matandang Pa­ngandaman kasama ang limang bodyguard. Hanggang sa pinagbuhatan umano ng kamay ni Angel si G. Dela Paz at dahil sa matanda na ito ay agad na bumulagta sa lupa. Nakabulagta na umano si G. Dela Paz ay pinagtulungan pang gulpihin ng limang bodyguard ng mag-amang Pangandaman.

Tinangka umanong awatin ng magkapatid na Dela Paz ang mga gumugulpi sa kanilang ama ngunit si Bino Lorenzo naman ang ginulpi ni Angel.

Matapos ang ginawang panggugulpi sa mag-ama ay nagbitaw pa umano ng salita ang batang Pangandaman sa matandang Dela Paz na “Baka hindi ninyo kami nakikilala ang yabang-yabang ninyo at mag-ingat kayo”.

Mabilis na umalis umano ang grupo sakay ng tatlong sasakyan, isang kulay puting Toyota Camry na may plakang AAM 88, kulay puting Expedition (ZHL 654) at kulay green na Prado (UAN 957).

Nabatid naman sa pamunuan ng naturang golf club na ang mag-amang Pangandaman ay miyembro nila at ang mga ito lamang ang kasunod ng mga biktima na naka-logbook sa nasabing entrance.

Samantala, nakatakda naman umanong imbita­han ng mga awtoridad ang mag-amang Pangandaman at ang limang bodyguard ng mga ito upang kunan ng pahayag hinggil sa nasabing insidente.

Sasampahan umano ng kasong serious physical injuries at paglabag sa Anti-Child Abuse Law sa Antipolo Prosecutor’s Office ang mga suspek.

Updates:
The GRP-MILF draft pact on Bangsamoro Homeland.
A temporary restraining order against the signing of this pact has been issued by the Supreme Court.
A very lawyerly (and astute) take on the shady and unconstitutional GRP-MILF deal.

Today, my city is in uproar. Zamboanga Hermosa, my beloved home. Por que?

The “President” of the Philippines (Our country did not vote for her twice. She rigged the elections the second time around.), Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) has struck a deal with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Group, a Muslim terrorist group linked to Abu Sayyaf and Al-Qaeda). She has agreed to include Zamboanga City as part of the Bangsamoro Homeland. OH. MY. GOD. Que horor!

Facts first. The Philippines is predominantly Christian. But there are many Muslims in the Philippines, and most of them are in southern Mindanao. For decades, they have been clamoring for independence from the country. They want to be their own country. The Philippines does not want to give them this degree of independence but has allowed them at least the ARMM, or the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. In this region, they can make up their own laws and live as they please.

Now let us talk about my ciudad, Zamboanga City. Zamboanga City is predominantly Christian. There is no fixed tally (chalk it up to bogus census information created by the corrupt government to downplay the size and strength of the city), but it is safe to say we are 80% Christian. When the Spaniards tried to conquer Mindanao (one of the three main islands of the Philippines), they made their base in Zamboanga City. This is why our lenguaje is Chavacano (a mixed blend of Spanish plus native tongues). But mainly, this is why we are a predominantly Christian city among predominantly Muslim neighbors.

Back to current events. Ongoing is a series of peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF. (Do not ask my why PGMA even bothers. If I were her, I would totally go with the non-negotiations, let-us-decimate-them road. These people are terrorists, for god’s sake!!!)The really sinister thing here is that these peace talks are NOT BEING MADE TRANSPARENT, and so we do not know exactly what propositions are being made, save that the current ARMM is being expanded. How far is this expansion going? Well as far as Zamboanga City, apparently.

This was disclosed by Zamboanga City’s Mayor Celso Lobregat, who said that he received information saying that parts of Zamboanga City were to be included in the Bangsamoro Homeland and Bangsamoro Juridical Entity. These parts are Zone III, Zone IV, Busay, Landang Gua, Landang Laum, Manalipa, Pasilmanta and Tigtabon. MIGOD, Zone III and IV??? Hello! This is the heart of Zamboanga City, where we have the City Hall, the Fort Pilar and the Immaculate Cathedral!!!

And this agreement is to be signed today. What, no plebiscite this time? We’ve done the voting twice before, back in 1989* and in 2001** and in both times, the people of Zambanga voted a resounding NO. Why is PGMA adamant that we are to be included as part of Bangsamoro when we are NOT Muslim and when we DO NOT WANT TO BE PART OF BANGSAMORO?

And what’s more horrible, she is not letting us decide our own fate. PGMA is signing our city away BY HERSELF to the MILF!!! As if she had the right!!! As if she owned us!!! When she knows very well WE HATE HER! (Our city is the capital of our region, but due to her losing our votes in the last election, she decided just that suddenly to move the capital of the region to Pagadian, thereby wasting the money of the taxpayers just to move ALL already erected and functioning government buildings and bodies from our city to Pagadian, a very rural small town with just one main street.)

I can’t believe this is happening again. Thrice in my lifetime, MIGOD! And I’m only 25! It’s not the first time that the predominantly Christian Zamboanga City has been offered up as a sacrificial lamb to appease the MILF terrorists. We have voted NO twice. We DO NOT WANT to be included as part of the ARMM because WE ARE NOT MUSLIMS!!!!!! Can’t she get that through her thick fucking head?!?!?

Okay, simmer down, self. Resullar. This agreement is very wrong, on so many levels. The most obvious wrong thing about this agreement is the secrecy, the lack of consultation. PGMA is playing God here. She does not own the country, she does not own its people. Zamboanga City has a right to decide her own fate, and the President has ignored that completely by offering up our city as part of Bangsamoro, without even telling us (the Mayor found out about this issue last week and they are signing it TODAY).

But the real issue here is the segregation. ARMM should never have been created in the first place. The Muslim rebels should never have been humored in the first place. The plight of Muslim rebels will not be solved by giving them land, or letting them rule themselves. In fact, it will only heighten their troubles.

I speak of Muslim rebels and Muslim moderates as different entities. In Zamboanga City, there are very many Muslim moderates who live among Christians in peace (there are also the few who do not, but let’s not digress). These people are not discriminated against, they are treated equally. I have many Muslim friends, and whatever privileges I have been given, they have been too. I studied in a Catholic university, and in our school, there are Muslim associations, Muslim places for prayer, and everything that is available to a Christian is available to a Muslim. There is no discrimination whatsoever (except of course, there are always personal individuals with prejudices).

And that’s how it should be, Muslims treated equally with Christians. The MILF, this is a rebel group that has for decades used their religion as a reason to ask for higher privileges. Like ancestral domain. Like money from the government to fund their terrorist acts. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget that when they do not get what they want, they kidnap people for ransom, and then torture and kill them if they don’t get the money, or even if they do in some instances.

For Gloria to even give this group the time of day is a horrible disservice to the Filipino people. By negotiating with this group, she is implying that their grievance actually has merit. This is a REBEL group, a TERRORIST group! These people do not have a real grievance, they are fearmongerers whose only grievance is the lack of money and power to further strengthen their evil dominance. By dallying with these rebels, PGMA is actually forsaking the real people in Mindanao who do actually have problems and issues that have be solved.

The real issues that need to be solved in Mindanao are poverty and lack of education. These issues are not religion based, but yes, they are indeed more severe in Muslim areas. But they will not be solved by ceding power to corrupt Muslim rebels, or by segregating Muslim areas from the rest of the Philippines, and especially not by sneakily selling off a Christian city to the Muslim rebels.

Mindanao, despite owning one third of the Philippines, is severely underrepresented in Philippine politics and initiatives. So much more so the Muslim areas. To PGMA, I cannot say what can solve the problems of Mindanao, but a good start would be to stop listening to Muslim terrorists and start listening to the Muslim moderates. Stop playing fire with kidnappers and killers, stop going off to kiss Bush’s ass (she apparently didn’t get the memo that America hates its president, too, or maybe that’s why she likes him so much?) and start coming over more often to Mindanao and try to understand our people. Instead of using tax money to punish the cities that did not vote for you, use it to create jobs and feed people. Mindanao needs that money more than you, Gloria.

Religion is a very sensitive issue. Peace will never be achieved if we spotlight it over and over again. Creating lands and laws based on religion will only further segregate the nation and its people. It will only seed more hatred between Christians and Muslims. Like what’s happening now. There’s no need for Christians to feel ill towards Muslims, or vice versa. But I feel right now the hatred bubbling inside so many of my Christian friends, because it’s inside me too. But I tell myself I should not feel that way. This is not an issue created by the Muslim moderates. This is an issue created by Muslim rebels and a corrupt, evil President. And only they are to blame for the current uproar.

In the end, all I can hope for is that the rest of the moderate-minded Philippines hears our plea. Today, our Mayor Celso Lobregat, our Congressman Erbie Fabian and our Congresswoman Beng Climaco filed a suit against the government in a bid to delay this agreement from taking place, so that perhaps we can remove Zamboanga City from the plebiscite. Let’s not let ARMM expand any more than it has to, and let’s not let religion rule our country.

Links:
Peace Advocacy Forum in Zamboanga City
City Seeks Support for Exclusion from Bangsamoro Juridicial Entity
Zamboanga Opposes Inclusion from Bangsamoro Entity
City Protests Against Government-MILF Deal
3000 Catholics Hold Rally
Celso Opposes Inclusionin Bangsamoro Homeland

*Where NINETY THOUSAND residents voted to be excluded from the ARMM and only five thousand voted otherwise
** Where ONE HUNDRED TWELVE THOUSAND people voted to be out of the expanded ARMM and only five thousand voted otherwise

On the headlines of the Philippine national dailies, there is not much about Zamboanga City. But in the city itself, the people are brimming with passion and vehemence. The President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has already mandated the transfer of regional offices to Pagadian, and now she threatens to take away Southcom from our people.

We Zamboangueños are very concerned for our people and our city. Economy and security would be greatly threatened were the Southern Command transferred to Pagadian. Furthermore, the move would require millions of money. Recently, Time Magazine printed an aticle regarding the Philippines’ sorry state of military affairs, saying that the Philippines has virtually no budget allocated for the military that our soldiers have had to buy their own uniforms, go into battle without proper training and recycle guns, weapons and ammunition. So, why move Southcom to Pagadian when there is no money? Pagadian alone has little resources to support Southcom. Zamboanga, on the other hand, has a port, an airport, even a Navy wharf.

We feel that there is no justice in this endeavor. This was a rash decision made by Malacañang without the consultation of Zamboangueños. We *do not* want Southcom to go.

On June 3, 2005, all offices and businesses closed in the afternoon to encourage all Zamboangueños to participate in the rally against the transfer. A congressional hearing went on inside the WMSU (state university) gymnasium, and thousands attended. The building could not contain everybody, and the entire school was swamped with people. The streets around the school were filled with people listening to the hearing through the loudspeakers.

On June 4, 2005, top government officials led city officials in submitting to the House Committee on Defense and Security a manifesto, bearing the signatures of over 179,000 residents in the city, requesting the permanent retention of the Southern Command in Zamboanga City. The manifesto, which was presented by City Mayor Celso Lobregat and Vice Mayor Beng Climaco, was a result of the series of consultations with the multi-sectoral groups that the city government held last month after Malacanang confirmed the issuance of an order relocating Southcom to Pulacan, Zamboanga del Sur. The manifesto, as of Thursday, June 2, has a total of 179,544 residents’ signature collected from the city’s 98 barangays.

I really, really hope that President Arroyo will change her mind on the transfer of Southcom to Pagadian. And also, I hope that this is not simply her way of punishing the residents of Zamboanga for voting for FPJ during the last elections. (That is the prevailing sentiment among Zamboangueños.)

Anyway, I was searching for articles on this issue and found a measly few. A good article is written by Max V. Soliven. But it seems the Philippine Star doesn’t archive its online news, (I am thankful that Google has a cache) so I am posting excerpts from this article by Soliven.

GMA calls for ‘unity,’ but what is she doing to Zamboanga City?
BY THE WAY By Max V. Soliven
The Philippine Star 06/02/2005

Thousands of Zamboangueños, I’m told from “Down Under”, no, not Australia but Mindanao, will turn out to attend the hearings today of the House Committee on National Defense to be held in the gym of the Western Mindanao State University.

In short, when the committee chaired by Parañaque Rep. Roilo “Roy” Golez (coincidentally, GMA’s former National Security Adviser) convenes its hearings at 1 p.m., residents from the city’s different sectors will shoehorn themselves into the gymnasium, and spill over into the surrounding campus and streets to demonstrate that they don’t want the Southern Command Headquarters to be transferred from Zamboanga City to Pulacan in Zamboanga del Sur – virtually to Pagadian City.

Mayor Celso Lobregat, when I checked with him by phone, informed me he was installing loudspeakers outside the building so the demonstrators could listen to what is transpiring inside the gymnasium. All businesses as well as the banking community will close shop this afternoon – without a pay cut to their employees – in order to allow them to take part in this “peaceful protest.”

What are they decrying? The order issued in mid-May by President and Commander-in-Chief Macapagal-Arroyo that the SouthCom headquarters, which has been in Zamboanga City for 29 years, be moved to some unknown and illogical place called Pulacan, in the boonies of Zamboanga del Sur. Was this done on a whim? Or was it meant to be another move in a string of “punishments” by which a resentful La Gloria is showing her displeasure over the fact that Zambo was the only Mindanao city in which she was rendered a stinging defeat – with the majority of voters going for FPJ?

In a speech last Monday, GMA declared that “it’s very important to have one Philippines, one united country.”

How can we believe moving the SouthCom out of Zamboanga City, which has all the facilities, including Andrews Air Force Base, the Navy anchorage, and all the surrounding military support units, to a place in which our Southern Command officers will be unprotected by a strong military presence, can unify our country – much less render it safer?

An important caveat is the one delivered recently by General Delfin Castro (ret.), the longest-serving SouthCom commander who retired in 1986. He asserted that the Communist Party’s New People’s Army (NPA), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Abu Sayyaf – and yes, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (even though we’re holding peace talks with the MILF) – would enthusiastically welcome the idea of the SouthCom being plunked down in a vulnerable area like Pulacan near Pagadian City. General Castro pointed out that SouthCom is just a tactical command headquarters, and will be isolated in Pulacan, without enough surrounding military units to defend it.

In that exposed area, it would be tempting the CPP-NPA, MNLF or rogue MILF units, to attack and overrun the SouthCom HQ. How would we enjoy their taking Lt. General Alberto “Boysie” Braganza hostage – and threatening to behead him? Or other officers of the SouthCom high command?

Remember what happened to Ipil some years ago? Of course the rebel forces have the capability of doing that again.

What I noticed is that General Braganza is not raising too much of a howl. Perhaps this is because he’s too close to the President, having served once as her Senior Military Aide, and doesn’t wish to embarrass her. Perhaps he’s still hoping for be named the next Armed Forces Chief of Staff when the incumbent Chief, General Efren L. Abu retires on his next birthday, June 24 – only a bit more than three weeks from now.

But Braganza – who did a crackerjack job directing those military offensives in Sulu against renegade forces – is himself retirable next September 10 this year. Besides, not coming from the elite Philippine Military Academy, but from the ranks of the ROTC, like this writer, Boysie, although very deserving, never had a chance. Oh well. If he’s asked by the defense committee to speak, I trust in his warrior spirit. Speak out, Boysie, and bravely tell them the President’s idea is cock-eyed. (In more polite language, of course).

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With due respect to the people in Pagadian, who’re just as deserving of the government’s attention and support as Zambo, it still doesn’t make sense to transfer SouthCom over there. There are no daily commercial flights to Pagadian, while Zamboanga City has four daily flights between that city and Manila. The Pagadian wharf is small and the seas is shallow there, making it difficult for our Navy vessels to dock there, while the Navy has a well-used official wharf in Zambo. Pagadian City has limited access by air or by sea to any of the major ports in Mindanao, as General Castro has already noted, making it difficult for the major commanders of our Navy, Air Force, Marines and the 1st Army Division, to report for conferences in Manila and other Mindanao capitals. Indeed, the 1st Division is based in Zamboanga City. What unit will “protect” SouthCom in Pagadian?

And what about ranking officials, including our own Cabinet members (the President, of course, has her own aircraft), foreign Ambassadors, or visiting foreign dignitaries, who would wish to meet with or coordinate with the SouthCom. How would they get to Pagadian?

And, finally, how much would it cost the government, specifically the already meager armed forces budget, to underwrite the transfer? We would have to construct a new Philippine Air Force base there, a new Naval station, building, infrastructure, etc. By gosh, what a waste of money which might be spent, instead, for what we really need for defense and our war on terrorism.

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Let’s face it. In the past 29 years, the SouthCom has operated very well in Zamboanga City. Under Commodore Gil Fernandez, it used to be known as the Southwestern Command (SOWESCOM), until Rear Admiral Romulo M. Espaldon became its first commander when the name was amended to SouthCom. I remember the good old days in Indonesia when Romy Espaldon was our military attaché in Jakarta (he spoke fluent Bahasa Indonesia). I used to borrow his car from time to time. You couldn’t miss it. The car was a dazzling white.

Why transfer it now?

The question is” What’s GMA trying to do to Zamboanga? She has already directed that, with a few exceptions, all government “regional center” offices be transferred to Pagadian City. This will naturally displace thousands of government employees and entail millions of pesos to effect the transfer, possibly scores of millions. A transfer of Southcom to Pagadian would already cost P4 billion.

Earlier, she promised the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that it could re-occupy the 84-hectare Cabatangan property right in the heart of the city. From this Cabatangan complex, if you’ll recall Nur Misuari’s “breakaway” MNLF group staged a surprising, violent rebellion, on November 27, 2002, in which they took hostage the residents of surrounding barangays, and paraded them, tied up and terrified, through the city. The rascals finally gave up after being surrounded by troops and PNP units, on condition they would be trucked by our military under safe-conduct to the sea where they could “get away” on a boat. Having to face the prospect of armed Muslims having their headquarters once more right inside their city is alarming to the Zamboangueños, who’ve had to endure a two-day reign of terror before.

Why should the ARMM have a headquarters in Zamboanga City when that city is not even part of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao?

Better for GMA to concentrate on fighting jueteng than open up a “second front” in Mindanao, with a sort of Christian “rebellion” on her hands.

By the way, is it true about a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey about her approval rating? Is it -29 or -30 percent? Let’s wait for confirmation of that today.

Links:
Zamboanga City Shuts Down to Protest Zamboanga Transfer
House Panel to Investigate Transfer of Southcom HQ
179T Signatures Push for Zambo Military Base Retention