tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post114118352606617054..comments2023-10-20T21:46:49.945+08:00Comments on Philippine Commentary: The Citizen-Soldier's Moral DilemmaDeany Bocobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01443168826029321831noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141383329070850692006-03-03T18:55:00.000+08:002006-03-03T18:55:00.000+08:00You see I'm concerned about the Fil-Am community. ...<I>You see I'm concerned about the Fil-Am community. I think the US govt takes their opinions about the philippines into account more than those who are in the Archipelago (since they ARE voters and taxpayers!).</I><BR/><BR/>any luck with wretchard though, rizalist?<BR/><BR/>anyway, i don't know if the US is paying attention to the filams more than the locals, and i don't know if most filams are pro arroyo.<BR/><BR/>in general, most filipinos living in the country have a better understanding of what is happening in the country than filipinos living overseas. and this applies to citizens from other countries too.<BR/><BR/>i think a frenchman living in france has a better understanding of what is happening in his country france than a french expat who has been living in Africa for a few years. <BR/><BR/>just like most chinese living in china has a better idea of what is happening in china than those who are living outside the country. just like an iranian dissident living in iran has a better grasp of the situation in iran than an iranian dissident who has migrated to europe to escape the mullahs.<BR/><BR/>isa pa, it's not as if filipinos in the philippines cannot understand or speak english (kahit na hindi sila fluent). it's not as if the US needs to learn farsi or arabic or mandarin para lang nila maintindihan ang mga locals. lahat ng mga major pro and anti-arroyo newspapers ay english. if they want to understand the situation better, then talk to the people inside the country. or read the local papers. or send people here to analyze the situation.<BR/><BR/>if the US thinks the mostly out-of-touch (even with internet) filam community in general are more knowledgable about what is happening inside our country than the filipinos living in pinas, then that's pathetic.<BR/><BR/>but i don't really know if the US GOV'T really takes the filams more seriously than the locals.john marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141378429373059182006-03-03T17:33:00.000+08:002006-03-03T17:33:00.000+08:00hah. nakita mo yung edits ko every time nag-send n...hah. nakita mo yung edits ko every time nag-send ng mail ang blogger.com...<BR/><BR/>buking ako.john marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141374293103822162006-03-03T16:24:00.000+08:002006-03-03T16:24:00.000+08:00John, it's just a blog. no need to apologize for e...John, it's just a blog. no need to apologize for erasures and stuff.<BR/>But now I realize if even YOU have to change things around for "clarity" then it really is a complex situation and no wonder most people are apathetic: they don't really know what's going on but what the admin wants them to know through the headlines.<BR/>you said something here that makes me think. You see I'm concerned about the Fil-Am community. I think the US govt takes their opinions about the philippines into account more than those who are in the Archipelago (since they ARE voters and taxpayers!). Generally speaking they are "conservative" relative to Arroyo's removal from office. I wish there were more concrete actions we could take to change this situation and educate our brethren over there. I still get about half and half visitors from here and in the Continent, but that says I'm not getting to enough of the Filam since there's a lot more of them online. <BR/><BR/>Got any ideas? Do you have contacts in the OFW community?Deany Bocobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443168826029321831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141370990646450282006-03-03T15:29:00.000+08:002006-03-03T15:29:00.000+08:00(i had to re-edit some things for clarity)rizalist...(i had to re-edit some things for clarity)<BR/><BR/><I><B>rizalist</B>: So frustrating to see how easily the world can be fooled by a govt determined and smart enough.<BR/><BR/><B>john</B>: kabisado natin ang pagiisip ng mga western media eh. hindi ba tumagal ng 20 years si marcos dahil considered siyang isan ally ng US in the War on Communism?<BR/><BR/><B>rizalist</B>: john--funny you mention that. Read the VERY FIRST ENTRY of the New Philippine Commentary. (first thing in the archives section.) It's speech by bush at the Natonal Endowment for Democracy. He talks about America's support for dictators during the Cold War. And says America CAN never again support such dictators if it wants the moral high ground in the world. It's what got me blogging again, because I believe him. </I><BR/><BR/>=========<BR/><BR/>minadali ko yung sagot ko sa iyo kahapon, rizalist.<BR/><BR/>i'm sure the US will never support arroyo kung dictator siya. but the problem is that, the US doesn't consider her a dictator... YET. it's our job to expose arroyo for what she really is: a corrupt and illegitimate ruler with marcos-like tendencies.<BR/><BR/>re the way the arroyo admin is handling the western media.<BR/><BR/>we filipinos are more familiar with the American's way of thinking and their culture, while most americans are not familiar with ours, except for a few.<BR/><BR/>Alam natin kung ano ang gusto nilang marinig. alam natin kung ano ang kinatatakutan nila.<BR/><BR/>The reason why the US tacitly supported the dictator marcos for 20 years back then was because Marcos presented himself as a staunch US ally against the War on Communism. So the guy was the "lesser evil" in the US' eyes.<BR/><BR/>Fast forward to 2001, after edsa dos, we keep hearing many reports na baka bumagsak rin ang arroyo admin dahil many are questioning her legitimacy. <BR/><BR/>then 9/11 happenen, a "blessing" in disguise i think to the beleaguered arroyo admin who saw that as an opportunity to use the US as big brother to protect arroyo from any attempts to remove her (by having the US troops back on our soil) and present herself as a "strong ally" in the WOT. hindi ba she courted the US heavily by being one of the first to annouce her support for the WOT and send troops to iraq. she even had bush mention the RP as a "major non-NATO ally".<BR/><BR/>Remember when the arroyo talking point then was: the RP-US alliance is strong. that means more US investments. more aid. if you remove arroyo, you'd break that "strong" alliance.<BR/><BR/>but lumabas ang totoong kulay ni arroyo after she "won" the 2004 presidential elections. the iraq war was already getting more unpopular among the filipinos in 2003 (no WMDs) at apektado rin si arroyo dito for being closely tied to the Iraq war and <B>for being a weak link in the first place</B>. So the moment may nakidnap na isang filipino worker sa iraq, she immediately surrendered to the terrorists and pulled all troops out of iraq. so why did she do that, despite the fact na this will be seen as a MAJOR setback for the coalition in the War on Terror at magagalit ang US sa kanya for pulling out prematurely? because hindi na kailangan ni arroyo ang "protection" ng US dahil "naipanalo" na raw niya ang presidential elections, so may "legitimacy" na siya sa tao.<BR/><BR/>And while the US doesn't trust her, the arroyo admin knows what the US fears and what it wants to hear. <BR/><BR/>So this time, she presented herself to the US as a "lesser evil", and painted all of us arroyo critics as "destabilizers", "communists" or "miltary coup plotters". while it is true that there are some leftist congressmen who want her out (<A HREF="http://politicaljunkie.blogspot.com/2006/02/news-flash-military-coup-topples.html" REL="nofollow">i do recall a tactical alliance between arroyo and these same leftists to oust estrada in 2001</A>), that is not the driving force behind the move to recall arroyo for stealing the elections. Yung majority ng mga masa at middle class filipinos ang gustong magpatalsik sa kanya.<BR/><BR/>And while there are the magdalo types who want to remove arroyo too, almost all of those who are opposed to this admin want no part of them. IMO, some of the Magdalos are pretty much "pakawala" ng admin to confuse the public.<BR/><BR/>so most filipinos know that the Arroyo claims are bogus, but hindi naman yan ang target audience ng arroyo admin kundi ang foreign media, lalo na ang US media, na hindi masyadong kabisado ang sitwasyon dito sa bansa natin.<BR/><BR/>it's to scare the international community from supporting us. katulad nang suporta ng international community sa people power "orange revolution" ng ukraine.<BR/><BR/>besides, why is this admin complaining about commies like beltran, satur ocampo et al when they were allies back in the 2001 effort to oust erap? and wasn't the military part of edsa dos too?<BR/><BR/>at least erap was a legit president, no? arroyo was never elected to the presidency at all.john marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141370556183738142006-03-03T15:22:00.000+08:002006-03-03T15:22:00.000+08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.john marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141366270011633902006-03-03T14:11:00.000+08:002006-03-03T14:11:00.000+08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.john marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141366556389204692006-03-03T14:15:00.000+08:002006-03-03T14:15:00.000+08:00Thanks for this thoughful comment John. She has in...Thanks for this thoughful comment John. She has indeed tarred and feathered all her critics in Red. But she has made a mortal enemy of the Media and that if you will remember is also the mistake that Erap made!<BR/><BR/>As for the US Govt, this is their problem only in a philosophical sense, and ought not to interfere really (either way!)Deany Bocobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443168826029321831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141360031802103002006-03-03T12:27:00.000+08:002006-03-03T12:27:00.000+08:00you're right HB. Mlq3's blog is empty na!you're right HB. Mlq3's blog is empty na!john marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141337970396196402006-03-03T06:19:00.000+08:002006-03-03T06:19:00.000+08:00DJB,Here's a refrain but it's quite a propos:When ...DJB,<BR/><BR/>Here's a refrain but it's quite a propos:<BR/><BR/>When a commander in chief goes on TV and declares emergency rule based on security threat - he or she must also include in that televised proclamation a semblance of presentation of evidence and decisions she's made (prior to going on TV) to address the imminent threat! But heck no...she didn't do that so what gives?<BR/><BR/>The only, real, concrete, physical evidence that they could have presented to the public as basis for declaring the Emergency Rule (remember, Querubin's insubordination happened AFTER the SOE) - and which they failed miserably to present at a time when it should have been made it - that would come remotely come closest to a potential coup conspiracy charge is BGen Lim's insubordination when he spoke to Senga!<BR/><BR/>And now to support their spin, they gotta produce "evidences" - to do that, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is sacrificing a few men in the military - young, gallant, brave officers and label them as Communist lovers.<BR/><BR/>Imagine declaring a State of Emergency on the basis of a senior military officer's INSUBORDINATION? <BR/><BR/>Hahahah!<BR/><BR/>Gloria and her government are insane!HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141335396616750292006-03-03T05:36:00.000+08:002006-03-03T05:36:00.000+08:00got it djb?got it djb?HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141335177941607232006-03-03T05:32:00.000+08:002006-03-03T05:32:00.000+08:00hb--send me email right now at rizalist@gmail.comhb--send me email right now at rizalist@gmail.comDeany Bocobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443168826029321831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141334589754436082006-03-03T05:23:00.000+08:002006-03-03T05:23:00.000+08:00Hey DJB,Re http://www.quezon.phMLQ3's blog is empt...Hey DJB,<BR/><BR/>Re http://www.quezon.ph<BR/><BR/>MLQ3's blog is empty. There's a note that says he couldn't locate any of the blog entries and to tell him if the error continues.<BR/><BR/>I found the following blurb on his site: WordPress database error: <BR/><BR/>[Got error 28 from table handler]<BR/>SELECT DISTINCT * FROM wp_posts WHERE 1=1 AND post_date_gmt <= '2006-03-02 21:16:59' AND (post_status = "publish") GROUP BY wp_posts.ID ORDER BY post_date DESC LIMIT 0, 12HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141319350555118982006-03-03T01:09:00.000+08:002006-03-03T01:09:00.000+08:00yeah, i remember that first post, riz.btw, alam ko...yeah, i remember that first post, riz.<BR/><BR/>btw, alam ko kung bakit in-announce ng arroyo admin sa publiko na magkakampi raw ang mga communista, mga military rightists at political opposition.<BR/><BR/>most filipinos know that that's a lie, but hindi naman yan ang target audience ng arroyo admin kundi ang foreign media, lalo na ang US media, na hindi masyadong kabisado ang sitwasyon dito sa bansa natin.<BR/><BR/>it's to scare the international community from supporting us katulad nang ginawa nila sa "orange revolution" ng ukraine.<BR/><BR/>katulad nang sinabi mo na "So frustrating to see how easily the world can be fooled by a govt determined and smart enough."<BR/><BR/>mabilis nga silang utuin ng isang arroyo admin na media savvy at alam ang mentality ng US admin. <BR/><BR/>http://washingtontimes.com/upi/20060302-034727-2838r.htmjohn marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141314289491344922006-03-02T23:44:00.000+08:002006-03-02T23:44:00.000+08:00DJB,Could you re-post Austin Bay's link pls? Can't...DJB,<BR/><BR/>Could you re-post Austin Bay's link pls? Can't find it. Thanks.HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141313669295650452006-03-02T23:34:00.000+08:002006-03-02T23:34:00.000+08:00DJB,See what happened? MB's told that hillblogger ...DJB,<BR/><BR/>See what happened? MB's told that hillblogger is a she and he went away - oh la la! Hope he ain't thinking, what the heck am I discussing military matters with a woman for!<BR/><BR/>Heheh! Anyway, if any consolation, I was the first woman to apply to PMA but they laugh at me coz I was a woman, then I went to West Point - they said no dice. Heck, I would have been a 4 star general today if they'd allowed me in and you wouldn't have been in this mess had I been the CSAFP (heeheheh!)!HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141313428066585632006-03-02T23:30:00.000+08:002006-03-02T23:30:00.000+08:00Precisely because of that higher degree of honor i...Precisely because of that higher degree of honor in the military! (The Philippine military has a long way to go but Lim is perhaps one of its hopes!)HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141313271541802192006-03-02T23:27:00.000+08:002006-03-02T23:27:00.000+08:00DJB, you remember when were discussing the rape is...DJB, you remember when were discussing the rape issue against those US Marines boys?<BR/><BR/>I was already batting for a US court martial on a US ship because I thought that was the only way to try the case if only for the sake of the alleged victim herself. I would have more faith in the US military justice than in the Philippine civilian justice.HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141312709255412082006-03-02T23:18:00.000+08:002006-03-02T23:18:00.000+08:00Agree wholeheartedly HB on the higher degree of ho...Agree wholeheartedly HB on the higher degree of honor in the military. That is also why their dilemmas are so much more complicated. Honor is a life and death thing with them. Not so in the carefree, relatively oath free world of civilians. And I think I do get your point now...but having mentoned the civilians, this reminds me about the next post and what the civilians ought to do if and when GMA lifts 1017. I guess they have a dilemma too don't they? To people or not to people, power that is!Deany Bocobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443168826029321831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141311851674461622006-03-02T23:04:00.000+08:002006-03-02T23:04:00.000+08:00DJB,You don't get my point!In a democracy, the civ...DJB,<BR/><BR/>You don't get my point!<BR/><BR/>In a democracy, the civilian government must rule supreme. To make sure that happens, the Republic must have a military whose duty is to to guard, protect, guarantee the survival of that democracy.<BR/><BR/>It is ONLY one of the many constitutional components that will allow that democracy to work but it is just that - a component albeit an ARMED component.<BR/><BR/>When that democracy is threatened, i.e., the Rpublic is on the verge of being overthrown, the military steps in either way - for or against the constitutionally elected head of the Republic.<BR/><BR/>That is their only moral duty. They ARE NOT constitutionally mandated to perform the tasks of the civilian government under which they serve unless of course, you have a military republic like Libya or like Fidel Castro's, etc.<BR/><BR/>Therefore your premise that by allowing Lim today to perform his oath - by withdrawing support for an illegitimate CIC who's hell bent on dismantling the institutions of the Republic - the military would place the country under martial rule is pure speculation. <BR/><BR/>Obviously, there is a risk that the military might take it upon themselves to replace a government. But this is remote for as long as the nation has a semblance of democracy. I believe, the nation still has a few remaining democratic fibers around it. (Besides, the Philippines only has a small armed forces.)<BR/><BR/>If you do not have faith that the military still possesses some moral fibers in its corps, then you have just condemned democracy in the Philippines.<BR/><BR/>Have no fear! Martial Law is usually a tool that is used by the civilian component of the Republic to tame its civilian population - the military even in that environment is only the little soldiers that execute a civilian command!<BR/><BR/>Moreover, I've always found that there's a higher degree of honor in the military than in the civilian component of a Republic! <BR/><BR/>What a paradox eh, DJB!!!HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141310291043926032006-03-02T22:38:00.000+08:002006-03-02T22:38:00.000+08:00Remember the old ideal of a philosopher king? What...Remember the old ideal of a philosopher king? What combo is that? Wisdom and Power, right. I guess if the Military could ALWAYS be counted upon to be WISE, I would vote for permanent martial law. Given that that isn't true, humanity itself has not found something that works better than democracy, though they've tried various, disastrous alternatives.Deany Bocobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443168826029321831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141309936726336662006-03-02T22:32:00.000+08:002006-03-02T22:32:00.000+08:00DJB,(Don't like bagels - prefer my peanut butter s...DJB,<BR/><BR/>(Don't like bagels - prefer my peanut butter sandwich)<BR/><BR/>I answered that already - I was two steps ahead!<BR/><BR/>Look up my entries or anyways, here it is again:<BR/>"If there is anybody today who should be resigning in the military is the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines - remember, he is a political appointee.<BR/>That the commander in chief illegitimus is FORCED to declare emergency rule on the basis of an act of insubordination by a FIELD COMMANDER shows how BAD and INEPT this Chief of Staff at doing his job!<BR/>This commander in chief illegitimus doesn't understand the job of a commander in chief. She's playing bahay kubo! Stupid woman!<BR/>If I had been CIC, I would relieve Senga, ordered the arrest of Lim, Querubin and sacked all my major service commanders!<BR/>Of course she can't do that because she is just one stupid, idiot commander in chief illegitimus!"<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't be Senga in the first place because I couldn't be with GMA - I would simply resign!<BR/><BR/>This is when you field that question on ethics: either lead a withdrawal of support or if you don't believe the military should do that, then you resign. And knowing Senga, I don't think he would resign - catch 22.HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141309738169817502006-03-02T22:28:00.000+08:002006-03-02T22:28:00.000+08:00john--funny you mention that. Read the VERY FIRST ...john--funny you mention that. Read the VERY FIRST ENTRY of the New Philippine Commentary. (first thing in the archives section.) It's speech by bush at the Natonal Endowment for Democracy. He talks about America's support for dictators during the Cold War. And says America CAN never again support such dictators if it wants the moral high ground in the world. It's what got me blogging again, because I believe him.Deany Bocobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443168826029321831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141309541613802332006-03-02T22:25:00.001+08:002006-03-02T22:25:00.001+08:00I ate our last bagel, waaaah and watched the news ...I ate our last bagel, waaaah and watched the news a lil just now sorry. <BR/><BR/>Okay, what about danilo lim and querubin. What should happen to them if you were CSAFP Senga (not GMA!)?Deany Bocobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443168826029321831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141309500608927472006-03-02T22:25:00.000+08:002006-03-02T22:25:00.000+08:00So frustrating to see how easily the world can be ...<I>So frustrating to see how easily the world can be fooled by a govt determined and smart enough.</I><BR/><BR/>kabisado natin ang pagiisip ng mga western media eh. hindi ba tumagal ng 20 years si marcos dahil considered siyang isan ally ng US in the War on Communism?john marzanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08036820667908976630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14974164.post-1141309389259430572006-03-02T22:23:00.000+08:002006-03-02T22:23:00.000+08:00DJB,Where are you? Am talking here on my own! Darn...DJB,<BR/><BR/>Where are you? Am talking here on my own! Darnation!HILLBLOGGERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977843513566589811noreply@blogger.com