Many Philippine politicians are corrupt because Filipinos allow it

Philippine society’s dysfunctional culture is evident yet again in the latest scandal involving some members of Philippine Congress and how they channel their Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) or “pork barrel funds” into bogus projects.

Gone incognito.

Gone incognito.

The fact that a lot of Filipinos have predicted that the main character in this sorry saga, Janet Lim Napoles, will go into hiding says a lot about our ineffective law enforcement agencies. The people have noted the timing of her escape and described it as “cleverly coordinated”. It’s as if she knew what was coming.

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After weeks of sensational media exposé, Napoles who looked animated in an “exclusive” interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, managed to evade law enforcement agencies as soon as a warrant of arrest was issued by the Makati Regional Trial court. The Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation have been left scrambling to ask the public for help in finding her.

Oddly enough, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima herself was not surprised that Napoles managed to evade arrest. She had this to say:

That’s not surprising … the fact that she can’t be found means she got wind of it … she received advance information, someone tipped her … isn’t she well connected, didn’t she boast before that she controlled government? Wasn’t that what the whistleblowers said? So, meaning, she’s well-connected so I’m not surprised anymore that she got wind of it. Maybe, even before the DOJ resolution was issued, she already knew about it … what more the newly issued warrant of arrest, it’s not farfetched.

De Lima’s statement comes across like she herself admits that Napoles has eyes and ears in the Department of Justice. Now that is a sad reflection of our culture, indeed. It goes to show that a lot of Filipinos, especially those who hold sensitive positions in government agencies have a price tag on display when crooks go out shopping for “contacts”. One can be forgiven for saying that our law enforcement agencies are not only incompetent they are also a disgrace. The fact that the likes of Napoles can easily disappear without a trace is enough to support this belief. Napoles is not even the first suspect to evade arrest. This has happened quite a number of times in the past.

Where is Napoles? Perhaps Senator Panfilo Lacson can shed light into her whereabouts or at least give us all an idea how she could have escaped. After all, the senator was famous for his ability to elude Philippine law enforcement agencies in the past. Everyone knows that he “went away” for a year when he got in trouble with the law in 2010, accused of masterminding the murder of publicist Bubby Dacer and the latter’s driver. The “distinguished gentleman” from Cavite could serve as a “consultant” for the DOJ since he is considered an “expert” in hiding.

Lacson did set a precedent for others to avoid arrest. He is now everybody’s role model. Napoles’ lawyer even mentioned that if Lacson can do it, why can’t Napoles? She does have a point. It wouldn’t be too farfetched if there now exists an underground business catering to smuggling fugitives out of the country. You’ll have to be “well connected” to get their business card, I suppose.

Philippine media is also to blame for how suspected criminals manage to get away. When the Philippine Daily Inquirer first broke the news about the pork barrel scam, it was very one-sided. The “facts” were all from one source. Napoles was correct when she complained about reporters not even bothering to get her side before publishing their “exclusive” story. They may consider their views “fearless” but they cannot claim to have balanced news in a lot instances.

The Inquirer could have been on a tight deadline to publish their story lest another publication gets a hold of the damning information. Their tactic however has resulted in another trial by media publicity. Well, one can also be forgiven for saying that that might have been their goal anyway – to stir the pot. Some even say the pork barrel scam is helping divert people’s attention away from Presidential sister Ballsy Aquino’s own scandal on the alleged extortion attempt against a Czech firm involving the MRT.

It is fair to say that Napoles had enough reason to disappear from the spotlight. Instead of waiting for the result of the formal investigation from the NBI before printing their story, the Inquirer seems to have thought that every bit of information about Napoles is fair game, without need to clarify. Even online publication Rappler published exclusive exposés on the Napoles family lifestyle without any regard for the repercussions. It seems journalists who run these publications apply a total disregard for individual rights and due process. Someone should remind them that even suspected criminals have rights.

Members of Philippine media have a history of causing trouble in Philippine society. Back in 2010, media played a big role in the Mendoza hostage crisis that resulted in the deaths of 8 Hong Kong tourists. Because media kept broadcasting a blow-by-blow account of police officers’ movements, the hostage taker who was watching the news from the television on board the bus panicked and killed the hostages. Networks were probably trying to outdo each other, which is why they could not think of considering a news blackout even for the sake of saving lives.

De Lima has been put on notice by these two senators.

De Lima has been put on notice by these two senators.

Senator Gringo Honasan himself is complaining about the on-going trial by publicity saying that he “condemns the serialized trial by publicity”. Both Honasan and Senator Bong Bong Marcos have warned De Lima that all this could affect her unconfirmed position as Secretary of Justice:

If Secretary De Lima is part of it and she will face the Commission on Appointments for confirmation, then that is her problem.

-Gringo Honasan

It will come up. Everything is a factor. When you’re talking about the highest levels of government … every part of that nomination is going to be examined.

-Bong Bong Marcos

Three years in her unconfirmed post as DOJ Secretary can be frustrating.

Three years in her unconfirmed post as DOJ Secretary can be frustrating.

It looks like De Lima’s chances of being confirmed after three years in her post is getting slimmer by the day. She’s not worried though even when the commission on appointments has been ignoring her. President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino has apparently only been repeatedly using an “ad interim appointment” to legitimize her post. That is so pathetic. One wonders why the President keeps hanging on to De Lima when he can simply replace her with someone more qualified. Would De lima be able to prosecute members of the executive branch and those who are allied with BS Aquino considering she is indebted to him? It remains to be seen.

Like most things in the Philippines, the pork barrel scam is proving to be too complicated and convoluted for the average Filipino to understand. It is not straightforward even when it should be. Those who want to monitor how the events unfold could develop a migraine. Perhaps all those involved could be in on it together. De Lima need not look far in finding Napoles’s coddlers.

Lame excuses work on a confused electorate.

Lame excuses work on a confused electorate.

Frankly speaking, when one hears Senator Jinggoy Estrada mouth off lame excuses such as “It is not up to the senators to determine whether an NGO is bogus or not” without rousing a public uproar, it is a clear indication that this latest scandal will not change the way things are being run in Philippine government anytime soon. The public servants get their kapal ng mukha from the public’s apathy and indifference to the issues plaguing the nation.

127 Replies to “Many Philippine politicians are corrupt because Filipinos allow it”

  1. Exactly. It was a week ago that I posted why a basketball score is irrelevant in the overall scheme of things and of course an emo butthurt populace wished I was dead. One of the common themes I have in my work is things are the way they are because the people accept things over time. So this culture unleashes Jinggoy, Honasan, Noynoy , Lacson on us through their support over decades. Their votes and their blind idolatry. I should never be made to accept anything else this culture throws at me. Your actions have already spoken. You support idiots. Don’t ever tell me what to accept from it.

    1. NICE ONE! next they will want YOU to attend CHURCH. and sit right next to the ousted CJ. The SCUNBAG who never explained his wealth, got all those people fired at PAL, and never went to jail or gave any peso’s back.
      another FINE example of Filipino Christianity, huh?

      1. Earth to Benjo? Seriously? He (CJ Corona) didn’t explain his wealth? What trial were you watching? Trial by Publicity? Before you jump on a bandwagon, I’m not a CJ Corona supporter nor a GMA supporter but a supporter of the Constitution which those who thinks “No One is DILAW” can always break.

        1. R U KIDDING? I watched the 1 where he said he would testify and answer/explain where he happened to have $4million($4,000,000.00)rolling thru his accounts. I watched the one where the LYING POS did not answer ONE SINGLE QUESTION (not one single question), ranted about how his MOMMA was ‘harassed by Mr.Jose Bossa’.The one where he proceeded to RANT for close to 90 minutes, not answer a single question and the rest of the CRIMINALS SAT THERE and let him get away with it. That was not testimony, it was a well re-hearsed choreographed ACT! A TOTAL MOCKERY OF ANY Criminal Justice system and UN-FORTUNATELY it was/is ‘PAR FOR THE COURSE’ when it comes to these types of matters in the corrupt-as-shit country.
          SO, that was the one I watched, YOU see a different one, did ya?
          I don’t jump on bandwagons (so don’t tell me what to do,AS IF pfff…), BUT I believed the woman who presented the evidence about his foreign currency accounts and HE NEVER DENIED or explained it, SEE? nor did he have to explain the flip-flop that cost the PAL employees their fuckin jobs, u kno the decision that coincided with a $100,000.00 deposit in his account. OR did ya miss that, huh?
          The Constitution huh? good luck with that.HA!

        2. Facepalm at the derailment.

          The Point you raised:

          Didn’t explain the how he got his Wealth.

          He clearly stated he got it with Dollar Investments manipulation way before he became Chief Justice. Why exactly do you think they couldn’t jail him if he didn’t state his Wealth that people kept shouting in a bandwagon was ill-gotten? Because it’s not. They even tried to attack him with Tax Evasion. Yeah, as if that would work on a bank investment. And 82 accounts that was reduced to smithereens? Pffft… there’s only one person I know who dwarfs those accounts and the investments are GOLDS instead of valueless paper money. Seems you’re one of those who pursue Trial by Publicity.

        3. Were you actually sleeping when you watched the trial or are you just a plain idiot?

          wwwDOTyoutubeDOTcom/watch?v=jAs4Ei0RpE0

          You’ve just lost the argument, I told you to TROLL Harder. Good Bye!

        4. I would like to start a petition on behalf of the citizens of Lapu Lapu. It is time to protest the inferior electric service provided by MECO. Force the LAPU LAPU Government to take action. Replace MECO. A company operated by monkeys could provide better service!

        5. OK, so YOU actually believed that Bull-Shit ‘testimony’ where he failed to answer a single question BECAUSE NONE WAS ASKED!!!WHY WAS THERE NO QUESTIONS ASKED, HUH?????

          Why did they not prosecute him? THAT IS BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE ALL HAD TO BE PROSECUTED.
          Why did none of the ‘inquisitors’/prosecutors take the guy up on his offer to look into ALL of their FOREIGN CURRENCY ACCOUNTS? there is your answer.

          NOW ‘ITCHY’ R U so naïve to believe that Bull-Shit OR ARE YOU ONE OF THEM? coming on this blog-site to act as if…?

          Trial by publicity? NO? I believed the Woman who ACTUALLY ‘TESTIFIED’ about the $4Million that was going in and out of the guys account(S). HE NEVER EXPLAINED IT AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT DOLLAR EXCHANGE RATE BULL-SHIT STORY, without a shred of proof about it, well then you are ONE OF THEM OR YOU ARE JUST AN IDIOT who should throw himself in front of a bus for being so dumb.

          OH, and one more thing, In a court of so-called law, NEVER does it occur (except in das pinas?) that a person who is supposed to be ‘testifying’ makes a 90 minute statement when a question has not even been asked. That Sonny is not ‘TESTIMONY’, it is a mockery of any justice system in the free world, and it was condoned by those who were in charge of the proceedings that day. NO DOUBT.
          SO, R YOU really that dumb? I don’t think so…

        6. Why was there no question asked? Pffft… how about asking the Prosecutors? Oh, they were dumbstruck because they didn’t think Corona would sign the Waiver without conditions and so the case was rested. All the answer they wanted about his bank accounts could be taken out because he has given them permission and you didn’t even understand that simple point? Are you really using your brain? Also, it’s an IMPEACHMENT court, the judges would be the one to decide if they’d let the guy let of some steam because of the Trial by Publicity and the harassment the Executive Branch is doing to him. And you actually thought he was never asked something? Why don’t you watch the trial again and confirm your every words. What’s the next thing you’ll raise? If you can’t troll harder than that, I’ll ignore your next reply. Pfffft…

  2. The soft pig belly of greed and corruption across all parties and areas of government, the senate and congress has been well and truly exposed in the past month, not just by the janet lim napoles scandal but also by BoC smuggling/bribery, DoTC, Immigration, and multiple contract anomalies, as well as the 60-30-10 PCOS programme which rigged/stole the 2013 election.

    The philippines has lost any little right/justification to even call itself, or pretend to be a democracy. More like a barbaric 3rd world outpost epitomised by the national sport being cock-fighting, and the government/leaders simply mafia style crooks without even a modicum of shame, integrity, or honor.

    The CoA report this week underlines the methods, amounts, and individuals involved. E.g. Senate president ponce enrile – 727 million pesos pork barrel in 1 year ! (2009). No doubt to fund his 2010 election. He certainly has no projects he can point to/be proud of. Instead enrile keeps an uncharacteristic silence. Fake ambushes, and now fake ngo’s. The cockroaches would look down on him. What a traitor and contemptible individual ponce enrile really is, but is also reflective of his ilk in politics for the easy money, social gatherings/parties, free travel, and legal immunity whatever the wrongdoing.

    These people should be stuck like the pigs they are until they squeal and then roasted over an open fire.

    The napoles scam simply shows how it has been refined over the years to the point it is now arms length robbery and wholesale plunder by the politicians with no direct paper trail back to them so that the long arm of the monkeys in nbi/doj just hold up their hands and let them escape justice/punishment.

    Lying and cheating are not just systemic in the philippines but part of people’s dna, hence the fact that it is so widespread and that it is also expected, and merits no real passion or disgust amongst people, simply a shrug of the shoulders, and back to telenovela watching or karaoke singing.

    As the roar of indignation and anger has increased across the country in some sectors, ‘the leaders’ only response has been a deafening and cowardly silence, hoping that it will soon be forgotten and it will be ‘criminal business as usual’

    Is there not one leader/politician with courage and conviction who is appalled and shamed by the revelations. I guess not, and that puts the nail in the country’s coffin. No-one cares enough.

    As people look for leadership and answers pnoy aquino feigns sickness with an allergy to flowers! Is he a man or a mouse. No, a snivelling little girl. A yellow liver bellied coward.

    The country has once again been shamed in the eyes of the world and shown to be unworthy of respect, help, or aid.

    As one foreign observer put it ” the nation of housemaids have proved themselves to be doormats who like to look the other way rather than face problems”

    If the philippines wants to end up in shit creek then no-one should be expected to give it a paddle. It has charted its own course and its own downfall.

    The hypocricy is unconscionable.
    The dishonor palpable.

    Sad that exactly a year ago a good man – jesse robredo – was lost, and his investigation into arms contracts anomolies was also buried. How convenient, and typical. His widow was also quick to take advantage. Life is so cheap, as are such opportunists.

    “It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty, and how few by deceit.”
    ― Noël Coward , Blithe Spirit

    1. You say they have ‘well and truly been exposed’ in the ‘past month’? DUDE, EVERYONE knows they are the biggest SCUMBAGS in South East Asia, FOR DECADES!
      it has always been that the biggest SCUMBAG of them all is the ‘OLD SCUMBAG’, him and his fuckin christmas gifts.
      NO GRUESOME ENDING WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH/TOO CRUEL.

  3. It really is time for donor countries to wise up. We spend money in PH for what? So there is more Filipino taxpayer money to be stolen. Time this shit was exposed more to the taxpayers of donor countries.

    1. The problem is that foreign aid – especially from the US is simply a euphemism for bribery, buying influence amongst leaders, and shaping another country’s policies in favour of the US.
      It works particularly well in countries where leaders are weak and/or greedy. Hence strategically the philippines is run from washington and is just left to play around with, and f@ck up, the non consequential dross, which is of no international importance.
      Surprisingly japan gives the most aid to the philippines. Shame they can’t find money to compensate for the comfort women they raped and tortured.

      1. Without wanting to a be a smartass, I note that most of the aid from US and Australia is tied to particular projects…much of it in Mindanao so I’m failing to see how that buys much influence. I do agree that aid is often (particularly by US) used for geo-political purposes. That said, from what I can find, China is currently number 2 donor (though what is included in the calculation seems a bit open to debate about it being aid) yet it doesn’t seem to have bought much influence…on the contrary. Do agree wholeheartedly about the comfort women…elements of Japanese society still haven’t confronted WW2.

      2. US aid is not was it used to be with the military bases, et al. Whatever economic aid is being sent is not for bribery because the personnel in USAID don’t trust the people in Congress or Malacanang to see to it that it goes back to the right agencies for proper use and distribution. As with potential foreign investors the White House knows whose pockets these monies go to hence the trepidation of the trust and honesty associated with it.

  4. I sense…

    She might get caught one of these days, there’s going to be another senate “inquiry”, she’s gonna get sick..or “sick”, she’s gonna go to St. Luke’s hospital, she’s going to be in a wheelchair with a neck brace that looks like a ninja from the Naruto series..and then more drama will unfold.

    After that the public is going to forgive her because “she is human after all and everyone makes mistakes” and then..the public will have another case of widespread amnesia in which they will just forget this and move on with their miserable lives.

    Still hoping with false hope, still wishing for Santa Claus this coming holiday season, still jobless because either I’m too lazy or incompetent and still poor in mind, body and wallet…but will wait for another “proud to be Pinoy” moment because it is still just another day for the proud Pinoy.

    Still drunk from that Kool-Aid from two decades ago and still haven’t gotten over the hangover that left them in a delusion-filled vegetative comatose soon-to-be rigor mortis state of mind.

    ————————————–

    Another scenario would be, she’ll just Lacson her way out of this and she’ll never caught. She’ll wait until the issue cools down, and comes back laughing all the way to the bank and telling the public to stick it right in their ass and with all that money she can be able to buy her freedom and asylum elsewhere. This could be just another zarzuela that is unfolding for everyone to see.

    Oh well, it is funny as to how people say she’s got a special place in hell..when we are already in hell. Just look around and beyond your precious Global City or Makati/Ortigas CBD and you’ll see the Republic of Misery in full color.

      1. I would like some fries with that, sisig and maybe popcorn too. Anyway..next week will be just another episode of “insert-name-here” starring “insert-person-in-the-hotseat-of-controversy-here”..so yeah. Entertainment for the washed, brainwashed and unwashed masses. 🙂

  5. Not to nitpick, but didn’t the Czechs already pinpoint who the extortionists were? I believe Ben Kritz covered that in a previous article. Their list didn’t include Ballsy Aquino.

    1. MRTC General Mgr. Al Vitangcol and others, who didn’t include Ballsy Aquino and her husband. The story won’t go away, though, because Eldon Cruz is a known sleaze, and wife Ballsy is known to have an improper influence in decisions on government appointments. And people who have had it up to here with Aquino bullshit sincerely want to believe any story that has them doing something nefarious. I’m sure they are doing something nefarious, but the truth is, it wasn’t this thing.

      1. Ilda, Mr Ben,

        That would be ironic if Ballsy Aquino DID get herself mixed up in, and even charged, as part of the MRT mess considering she probably isn’t involved.

  6. BS Aquino has a PHP 1 Trillion pork barrel which includes the Malamplaya Fund. How come BS fans claim that this huge pork barrel cannot be audited or accounted for by COA? Does the Constitution say that COA has limited powers and cannot investigate the Executive Branch? The Malamplaya Fund should be deposited with the Philippine Treasury. As for Leila De Lima, she prematurely revealed that there was an arrest warrant for Napoles. Many say that she deliberately tipped off Napoles by this hasty revelation.

  7. Ironic that the groups that were noisy during the past administration are now mysteriously silent.
    It seems that Aquino is in very very hot water since the number of people getting discontented of his leadership is growing in size.
    The people are waking up from the media induced brainwashing, not even abs cbn can save Aquino from his imminent fall.
    The clock is ticking…..

    1. and just what kind of a ‘FALL’ would that be? another dumping on the tarmac? I doubt it, the world would not stand for it.if he is ousted, HE TOO will laugh his ass off ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK. YOU SEE, until this ‘INSTITUTIONALIZED form of ‘KLEPTOCRACY’ is obliterated, I mean, completely ERADICATED, NOTHING WILL CHANGE. NOTHING.
      the INTERNATIONAL community of countries/nations ALL KNOW that the FILIPINO POLITICIAN is a CROOK/THIEF/LYING SCUMBAG and they give the rest of the Filipino people a bad reputation INTERNATIONALLY.but they obviously do not care as if they did, they would not be so arrogant in their thievery. ‘OH OH, caught with my hand in the till…time to dis-appear after being tipped off by the DOJ’, WTF? think other countries/nations want to do business with these SCUMBAGS? with F.I. down 83% it is a rhetorical question.

  8. The philippine politicians want to have their pork adobo, steal it from the poor, get the US to pay for it, and silence anyone who criticises, by bribing, shooting, or imprisoning.

    1. that is true, the average citizen can do nothing about it.
      Only a convergence on all of these SCUMBAGS at one time, in one place and in a COMPLETELY SAVAGE ACT could a REAL change be effected.

      1. “the average citizen can do
        nothing about it.”

        How about the people who participated in EDSA 1? How about the people who are happy about the recent impeachment? You know, Filipinos are not allowing corruption anymore. In what is happening now, everyone knows where it started.

        1. SEE paragraph two of the comment you quoted above, it has the solution.
          EDSA 1 changed not much. the money stolen was never returned because the thieves got away….and came back when the shit storm subsided. Most never even left. that money is still running the country and the people who stole it are right back where they were in 1984. want REAL change? see paragraph 1.

        2. Nah, don’t hide because you are still ‘bida kapamilya’

          SAME OLD SH*T, SAME OLD HYPOCRITE. 😀

        3. IF IF IF YOU are directing that comment at me, WOWW-O-WOW-OW-OW-OW!!! I would feel sorry for YOU BUT your smart-ass, over-confident remarks (YOU really THINK I am Bida kampamucka?LOL!) show YOU to be the true IDIOT YOU NO DOUBT are.

        4. @Benjo: I wasn’t taking to you but to the hypocrite known as new york a.k.a. bida KAPALmilya. 😛

          Just to clarify…

        5. point made, no insult taken!
          BTW, that guy? he can’t be from New York, way too much of a douchbucket.

      2. the culling. the only solution. kill all greedy, selfish and evil scumbags. how do we know if they’re greedy? simple. if your P20,000 a month salary is ok for you, then you’re ok. but if you want more than that and you’re single, i will hunt you down. you must be one of those assholes who bought an SUV just to show off. what’s the difference between a P20,000 a month salary and a P200,000 a month salary? you didn’t work hard for that extra P180,000. your title/rank earned you that extra. then you must be that greedy. fuck you.

        1. Even if he changes his name to “new york”,we’d still know its him based on his posting of his stupid propaganda.

          Jeez, this stupid sack of sh*t never learns does he?

        2. The admins might as well delete new york’s comments since they are the same propaganda that BK was posting.

  9. leni robredo now that she has been elected – ridiculous in its own right – now says she supports pdaf/pork barrel.
    some legacy for jesse robredo.
    he will be rolling in his grave.
    some people are just too tacky.
    at least there will be money for the kids education and their aspirations to be entertainers!. some families are just too tacky.

  10. Filipinos accept the unacceptable. Examples are, their treatment at NBI and NSO. Cattle that are being led to slaughter, receive better treatment. Filipinos also accept some of the poorest electrical service in the world. They do nothing about any of this. They should be ashamed of themselves.

    1. it is surprising that they collectively allow it. Most countries have a standard of living that assuages the average citizen to not revolt against the government. BUT, in the Filippines the average citizen earns about 20X’s less than the poverty level of any 1st world country. With NOTHING TO LOSE, and politicians ARROGANTLY STEALING FROM THEM AND THEN LAUGHING AT THEM, one would think it should be a done deal and yet the AVERAGE FILIPINO seems to be asleep or on heroin and incapable of waking the fuck up and doing what needs to be done.

  11. maraming masasagasaan from the Prz down to senators Kung ako si Napoles ibubuko ko na silang lahat..mula kay Jinggoy hanggang kay Honasan at iba pa..

        1. it would have to be a National Movement to STOP PAYING TAXES. do you think I would go out on a limb, like whats-his-name?…who thought the pinoy was worth dying for(HAHAHAHA!), for any civil action alone? by myself? so I too could become a martyr? LMAO, NO!no fuckin way! BUT…
          BUT IN A NATIONAL CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE EFFORT, I’d be willing to go to any lengths, BUT YOU FIRST, of course!

        2. Benjo,

          Brilliant!

          You possess exactly the kind of Pinoy attitude that created this mess we are in. Only willing to take a chance if millions of others have already taken the chance. And only if there will be a fiesta to start it off. This is why Filipinos have a reputation for being COWARDS. Good job proving to the world that characterisation is true.

        3. @Johnny,

          I am not even a Filipino, OK? GET IT NOW?

          I have but a simple message to get across to people here on this site!

          What I may or may not do in a HYPOTHETICAL situation does not make me anything and certainly not a coward! I have fought in 10X’s the # wars that you will ever run away from John.
          SO PLEASE, don’t judge me, listen to what I am trying to tell those smart enough to listen. The country needs to do some SERIOUS house-cleaning. It can not be pretty because what needs to be done, in order to get what has been going on for far too long to STOP, can not be pretty! It must be done quickly, decisively and savagely. In as few a hideous series of actions as possible, BUT actions that no one can mistake for anything but pure outrage and disgust at what has been going on, and enough of them to succeed immediately.

          I REALLY MUST GO NOW.I do hope you understand, I really do.

        4. What has being a foreigner got to do with the fact that you just displayed the same cowardly attitude that characterises Filipinos?

          Yes I do understand.

          Far be it from me to prevent you from exercising your right to run away. Certainly can’t expect you to do anything but mouth off and suggest that Filipinos should commit civil disobedience in the name of “serious house-cleaning” while you skulk off. Must be fine to start a riot then run off to start the hand wringing while expecting others to clean up your mess.

    1. we’re actually paying taxes just to make sure these financial terrorists (corrupt govt officials) are well-fed and happy. if we don’t pay our taxes, surely they won’t have enough ill-gotten money to pay for the construction of their villas, condos, townhouses and massive mansions. and of course, they also need our taxes for them to be able to buy luxury vehicles or for the construction of their swimming pools and neatly-manicured landscaped gardens. don’t forget the outrageously expensive branded indoor furnishings from europe.

  12. A protest is being organized a week from now on August 26 – rallying as many people as they can to convince everyone to stop paying taxes and have public demand for a system-wide investigation of national funding as well as calls for shooting down of the PDAF.

      1. It’s gonna be in Luneta Park if I remember. Rizal spirit’s shall live on. EDSA Rally should be buried where it should be. This isn’t some fake CIA-Economic Hitmen backed up Revolution but True revolution against obvious corruption and incompetency of the Government.

        1. Get out the popcorn, should be a great watch.

          the entertainment value of my peso’s/euro’s/yen/dollars paying dividends…and it is not even Christmas!
          “Hey, where is my christmas gift you old POS?”.

        2. Correct, though since the announcement’s sweeping like wildfire, those who’re not part of the capital are encouraged to organize on their local landmarks in solidarity with this civil disobedience.

  13. “Where is Napoles?”

    The answer is very simple. She is in one of her houses enjoying freedom.

    First hand experience on this kind of case is just about a couple of months ago.

    The are these four persons having warrant of arrests since year 2009, accused of estafa. Since that year they were free selling the same scam to their new victims until about two months ago when our group made very close follow up with the police for the arrest of the two of them. Our group needed to spend for the meals of the police officers who facilitated the arrests while the two were on the process of selling non-existent shares where over 5000 people have already fell victims during the span of twelve years until this year.

    The other two remain at large. One of them has already a couple of convictions as ruled by the Supreme Court for the same crime of estafa.

    As experienced, there would be no need for Napoles to go out of the country to stay free from arrest. Neither any politician or high ranking government official who would notoriously squander the people’s tax money.

    Regarding the P10 billion pork barrel scam, nobody among all those named senators, congressmen and other local government officials, and even the COA responsible for the screw up would be prosecuted neither would the money they squandered would be recovered.

    This is the Philippines and this corruption practices by the politicians and government officials and even employees is as normal as breathing air.

    Corruption is not only in the government but in the private sectors as well.

    Just like MERALCO’s so called “Universal Charges” of 5.6% is an unexplained, un-itemized unscrupulous charges.

    For example almost all major Telecom agencies keep on making the pre-paid loads of subscribers disappear much quicker than water can evaporate through high temperature boiling.

    Most telecom agencies are forcibly making the new subscriber sign for the so called “lock-in” agreement for two years. Meaning if they discontinue their subscriptions within two years due to their outrageously despicable services (almost being useless)they “must” pay P2,500.00 for every item they subscribed.

    The question is, what can the few bloggers like do about this?

    1. the ordinary Filipinos can do something about this problem. they can hire “vigilantes” to do the culling. and of course, no one is exempt from the culling. simple as that. so if you own a villa or a condo or a townhouse, you are not exempt from the culling. moreso if you own an SUV, which states your greedy preference for large vehicles that speak of your nouveau riche mindset. your P20,000 a month salary will not buy you a car much more an SUV.

  14. I will never forget the bus hostage crisis… there was no positive steps from the government and bus full of foreign nationals, Chinese at that, nobody seemed to take charge of that and turn it around. I really get tired of seeing extremely wealthy individuals that look like Napoles, she doesn’t appear to be a wealthy person but a commoner, how can someone who looks like her, have so much wealth, dozens of cars, trucks and vans. Sad part is I don’t feel the outrage, so I feel there’s not much hope for any quick changes and then it sounds like threats from those in government. Nobody seems culpable for getting the pork barrel funds, if the accountability can’t be fixed then it would be a failure on the current administration or a total waste of time to prosecute Napoles.

  15. President pnoy aquino is useless, clueless, spineless, and powerless.
    Beyond reading badly written speeches -badly, cutting ribbons and hiding whenever there is a problem, he has proved to be a complete liar and total hypocrite.

    Pnoy’s lack of reaction and substantive action to the current corruption scandals will define his legacy. His entry in history will be ” pnoy’s propaganda and brand politics only cemented the inequality, elitism and corruption in the philippines, with no improvements in poverty, democracy, or social progress. A noynoying president with an aversion to work and an allergy to flowers!”

    Expect lame excuses from malacanan next week saying the pdaf irregularities were during the last administration and rules have been tightened.
    No surprise they only released CoA report covering years 2007 – 2009.

    If anything it had got worse as the budget has grown.

  16. Public apathy to complain is the corrupt politicians best friend, combined with a system which ensures everyone can play ‘pass the buck’ and wash hands of responsibility/involvement.

    Malacanan already on propaganda overdrive, and getting out the cans of white paint

  17. A filipino asked me for some money today.
    I kicked him in the balls.
    ‘Whats that for!’ he cried
    ‘When in rome do as the romans do’ i answered
    ‘Thank you’ he replied ‘ better to be abused than to be ignored’

  18. The darkness is almost over. The dawn will soon break over this great land. Let the power of the Sovereign Filipino People prevail over the few who have abused and duped us for so long! BS Aquino your time will come!

      1. Base your decision on tangible and a bit of intangible achievements. Look at the province they served in if it’s prosperous and if their folks love them, simple as that.

        Ilocos Norte, Davao, Palawan, Subic, Manila (2013~ progress), etc. etc.

        1. ‘if the people love them’ HA, the appeal to the emotions. WHERE HAVE I HEARD THAT BULL-SHIT BEFORE? A crook is a crook is a crook. BANK-ROBBERS in 1930’s USA were beloved by millions because they robbed the banks who were perceived as the enemy, it did not make it right,(or did it?) see a pattern there ‘ITCHY’?

        2. Way to misinterpret and massacre the message again ‘SCRATCHY.’

          “Look at the province they served in if it’s PROSPEROUS and if their folks love them, simple as that.” was the message.

          See the word in capital? Also, you’re comparing APPLES and ORANGES. Politicians are not Robbers. Hep! I’ll jump in ahead and predict your reply…

          Politicians CAN be robbers as well and vice versa. You can’t troll me with those lame arguments.

      2. Exactly. There is no point in demanding P-Noy’s head; there is no-one any better who is electable. I have said this elsewhere on this site: he is a prisoner of his social class. As long as our electorate accepts bribes to vote for some of the creatures we find in the Senate, it will be a miracle if we get anyone even as good. Our abysmal TV offers wall-to-wall soap operas and gun battles, rather than any political discussion.

    1. LOL. Darkness will always reign over the Philippines. Getting rid of a bad leader is only half the battle. The Filipinos also have to have the ability to elect a competent leader.

      History has shown that Filipinos will vote for anyone who has a great marketing and PR machine behind them.

      I really don’t see anything in current Filipino society that will break that trend. There is no sense of urgency among Filipinos to straighten out their own country. Oh, there’s a lot of talk. But that talk remains just vapor since it doesn’t translate into anything come election time.

        1. That’s the question you and your fellow countrymen must answer for yourselves. This is your country. I am but a visitor, a temporary observer, just sharing my thoughts.

      1. the entire political structure is rotten to its very core. a system designed by thieves for thieves to manipulate to their liking. the country is doomed to repeat another EDSA type mistake when they are soooo close to achieving a total victory. the fail to see the other half of the problem….and its right under their proverbial noses.

        1. the leadership is a total failure. the leadership is controlled by the rich. so why don’t something or someone re-distribute wealth? why can’t anyone tell those rich bastards that they can’t take their money with them to hell? or better yet, why don’t we send them to hell?

      2. Then we should tackle from grass roots: the culture. How? Education: Re-educating the filipino people. I believe that the ultimate game changer is when ALL filipino children of this generation be exposed to more sophisticated (or should I say high calibre standard of education), and not be under that rote learning orientation crap, which really hinder people from becoming innovative and to become great critical thinkers. The time that I believe we grow as a nation is when one leader prioritises education first of all– and penalised parents/guardians who would not send their kids to school from K-12. Peace everyone.

        1. @ christy

          you must know in your mind that education cannot prosper if there are no funds. where will the govt get education funding when all of the money is already allocated for pork barrel funds? and to have good education, teachers must also have good pay. where will they get good pay? of course, elsewhere other than this country. you must have private education to be that naive.

    2. “…THE FEW”…? there is a massive organized de-frauding of the general public going on. “…THE FEW..”? ee-gaad mon, it ain’t ‘the few’, there are lots of ’em.
      the GOCC’s are being raped, take a wild guess, by who? uuuuuuhhhhhhh.it is not only ‘pork funds’ that are subject to ‘mis-use’. the problem is so large it is almost un-believable.

      see ‘THE REIGN OF TERROR’ that was the work of a guy, and his buddies, in France circa 1795…Robespierre. the Jacobin Club, they had a good game plan.

      1. the only solution i see here is total re-distribution of wealth. genocide rings a bell here. kill all the rich people. they’ve fucked up the economy (stock exchange bullshit), so they can get more money. they hoard food supplies (rice, groceries, etc) to force the majority to buy expensive goods(which is highway robbery). and those businessmen from other countries who set up dummy owners so they can buy local companies. i’d like to see some kind of inquisition where the rich are guillotined and removed from their pedestals. no hope for us ordinary people unless a violent revolution/outrage happens as the fucking government is inept/incompetent.

        1. Haha! I agree with you, though this is more of my guilty pleasure. This may sound controversial to many, but having studied the biblical passages on killing– what God actually forbids is killing in a predatory manner (hebrew word ratsach), so killing for selfish reasons is wrong, but killing to actually preserve the major good isn’t wrong. Again, this is what’s been read to me in the context of the Ancient Hebrew conflicts (and no, it’s not genocide, as biblical scholars say that Canaanites and Hebrews generally spoke the same language and they were of the same grouping of people). Yes
          we do need a little force to actually provoke a real action of good from the government. Heck, I’d march up there with ‘death threats’ even though I wouldn’t eventually do so–but the mere fact is to scare them off, and that should prompt these cretins to give us what all of us want/need.

        2. And how about those rich people who aren’t involved with all this crap? Those who actually worked for their money, and saved wisely? Do we just kill them all too? The way I see it, you wanting all rich people killed and then their wealth being re-distributed means one thing: you just want a piece of their hard-earned money without having to work for it yourself.

          “Ordinary” people? How exactly do you define that? You have internet access. Based on your grammar, you seem to have had access to a decent to good level of education. That’s more than I can say for most of our countrymen. Let’s not forget that “rich” and “ordinary” are very subjective words. Who’s to say that you shouldn’t be killed as well? You’re probably “richer” than 70-80% of the population, maybe you should be killed too?

          Please make better of use of your education and think of a better solution. The only way our country can rise from all this corruption is by ensuring that everyone is educated enough to think for themselves, everyone is educated enough to make a living for themselves and their families, and so that everyone is educated enough to make sound decisions, i.e. not having to vote for corrupt officials who bribe them with money, which they willingly take because that’s the only way they can ensure their family’s survival.

          That starts with people like you acting like how a civilized and educated member of society should. This means using your gifts, whether it be money or talent or skills, to ensure your countrymen become as rich/talented/skillful as you are (even more so!), so that they can then do the same for others, so that we can all finally rise above all this bullshit together.

          Seriously, think about it.

        3. That is the solution to the Philippines dysfunctional
          Society. I for one will not be oppose to us starting a civil war. This is the only accepted solution.

      2. @ paul

        i wish i had internet access. i’m not that rich to have a computer and internet access at home. i’m accessing the internets in cheap internet cafes proliferating the countryside.
        about the working hard thing, i’ve worked my ass off for more than 30 years, including the days at the factories and other side jobs here and there. i don’t even have my own house nor have my own car, so i guess i don’t qualify as one of those rich people you mentioned.
        you’re talking about those ivy league universities here in metro manila, right? no, i did not enrol myself in them expensive schools just to rub elbows with rich, snotty people. i’m a product of local public schools.
        and yes, i’m making full use of my education right here in this blog. as you may well know that i have no rich friends or political clout to brag about. you should know by now at your age (which i think you are already mature enough) that most poor people do not have connections and money to help others. i wish i could help others with my resources, but alas, i cannot, as my funds and network of friends may not permit me so.
        now you know sir, that i do not belong to that class of citizenry that look down on poor people, because i am not rich. and being rich means dumping your principles and humanity for the sake of power and money.

  19. And the aquino brand will in the future represent
    Treachery – grandfather
    Complicity – mother
    Weakness – pnoy
    Opportunism – nephew bam
    Mental illness – sister kris & her brood of misfits
    Sleaze and greed – sister ballsy
    Criminality and murder – cojuangco
    Hypocricy and self-interest – every single cojuangco-aquino

    1. u kno, EVERY political CLAN in the country looks out for their own interests. Some collude with others covertly, others do so out in the open.
      BUT UNTIL YOU UDERSTAND that ALL OF THESE PEOPLE/DYNASTIES/CLANS are one in the same, have the same objectives and are all part of a scam to DE-FRAUD the general public: YOU are going to come off as the naïve, unknowing one. Fixated on the fact that YOU THINK that there is only one thieving clan when all of them are in on it together. There is also a ‘PECKING ORDER’ involved with these clans and sometimes they try to ‘out-manuever’ each other to jockey up to the top, like the Marcos clan in the 60’s. OR GMA and the Amputuans in the 2000’s, an alliance made out of sheer political necessity.
      UNTIL YOU GRASP THE FACT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE AN ORGANIZED INSTITUTIONALIZED ‘BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ of the entire countries economy, you are actually part of the problem. I’d say WAKE-UP but the fact is YOU should WISE-UP as you already know there is a massive problem. but you fail to see the complicity of those who are ALL involved. the colors of the shirts is a diversionary tactic. I believe it is referred to as: DIVIDE AND CONQUER. so, as simply as I can put it, it’s the rich against everyone else, GOT IT?

      1. so why don’t we kill all those rich people? that might solve our problem with regards to graft and corruption. as you may well know, the rich controls the government. the government controls the people. and the people can’t do anything. the majority of people here are poor and are literally fucking powerless. the only power they have is to post unknown blogs.

    1. he has not failed his personal objectives, and has all his excuses made. IF IF IF one step’s back and see’s the BIGGER PICTURE, it is there for them to see.

    1. @ ryan onus

      maganda yang suhestyon mo brad. kaso ang problema lang na nakikita ko eh baka naman maubos yung mga nagpapanggap na “leaders” sa gobyerno. baka walang matirang “leader” dahil inubos na ng mga “vigilantes”. kamo baka wala ng magtrabaho sa mga opisina ng gobyerno pag nagkataon. hehe

  20. Politicians are corrupt because they came from the people. The culture of the Philippines with regards to this is deep-rooted in the nature of most Filipinos. How can there be changed for the better.

    According to an Idian adage “you can teach a tiger so many tricks, but you could never make him eat grass”.

    Whatever is twisted and untruthful, this is what most Filipinos would definitely admire and embrace.

    1. it is not true that politicians are corrupt because they came from the people. they are corrupt because they are evil in their very core. that means their hearts are not pure and good. they are instrinsically evil. bad people are born, not bred. you cannot teach humans what is good and bad. you cannot teach humans what conscience is. to evil people, everything they do is normal, they don’t know right from wrong. good people have conscience, because they are born with the thought of what is good and true. good people do what is right, even if nobody is looking. evil people will do what is good in other people’s eyes (or if there are others around them) so they won’t be branded as bad. but if given the opportunity, they will do evil. you should know that, if you are human.

      1. Below are three of the late Ninoy Aquino’s quotes regarding his opinion on how Filipinos become complacent with tyrants like Marcos and his cronies which made him to rule over them for twenty years (1965 – 1986):

        a. “I believe that we Filipinos could not fight for our freedom, we do not deserve it, we should not depend on the Americans, we should depend on ourselves.”

        b. “What can one man can do if the Filipino people love their slavery, if the Filipino people have lost their voice and would not say no to a tyrant, What can one man do. I have no army, I have no followers, I have no money, I only have my indomitable spirit.”

        c. “When you condone tyranny you share in it’s CORRUPTION and it’s lowliness.”

        As for being “human” it takes a lot of prudent manners to show and not just by saying it to people when the behavior one show’s not even as domesticated as should real humans would.

  21. “Many Philippine politicians are corrupt because Filipinos allow it”

    i don’t understand how Filipinos may or may not be able to allow Philippine politicians to steal money from the people it is supposed to serve. does this mean that the ordinary Filipino can stop a politician from plundering government funds? how? please tell us, as we cannot imagine an ordinary worker telling a politician to stop stuffing money into his private bank accounts. come on. be realistic. i wager i can’t even see you (the author) in person without you asking me private questions like who i am and what i do for a job.

    1. @andres dela costa

      Well, most Filipinos think that their role as a citizen ends on Election Day when it’s doesn’t. Worse, on Election Day, instead of voting for someone qualified, majority of voters vote for the same bozos or relatives of the bozos even when they have not performed their duties well.

      Filipinos should realise that voting people into public office is just a start. They should monitor how their public servants do their jobs particularly how public funds are being managed. It’s amazing how the pork barrel funds scam has been going on for decades before Filipinos finally felt outraged. It seems most Filipinos were ok with their public servants merely acting like celebrities.

      The rally against pork is a good indication that information from various sources like GRP – sites that are critical of the government — is finally making a difference to how Filipinos view their role in nation-building. Hopefully, they won’t stop there. There’s still a lot to be done.

      1. looks like the culling has to start from somewhere, like the COA, BIR, Customs and many other government offices. something has to be done about this by those in power, as we, the ordinary citizens of the Philippines cannot and would not be able to do anything. unless some fed-up vigilante with a .50cal sniper rifle does his own justice, street-style. i hope that it wouldn’t have to come to that situation.

        1. I’m not sure but, I don’t think People are Bozos during Election day. It might be because we’ve lost the more credible way of process which is Manual Vote Counting. I’m certain you know what I’m talking about. The machine is the one voting now and not the People anymore which is why the machine was branded as HocusPCOS machine because it can magically… nope… automatically change the vote counts if you have an IT/Programmer insider. Not to mention, there’s so much security loopholes during the election that made the machine super vulnerable to cheating. Yeah, don’t forget the 60-30-10 STUPIDLY STATISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE count. (Unless God suddenly wanted to troll us and wanted that to happen using his power over probability)

    2. It’s a complicated thing like a chicken and egg puzzle. Right now, there seems to be nothing we can do to stop corruption in gov’t. I guess not voting for people who are corrupt is one way to counter the problem.

      But the problem is, people can be bought because they don’t have money. People easily succumbs to bribery. Majority of the population are poor, hence, money is a powerful motivator.

      The process is a long one and all we can do right now is hope that a leader with integrity and dedication will seriously spearhead and initiate an act to seriously combat gov’t. corruption.

      1. and obviously we do not have that in pnoy aquino
        hence a lot of anger is directed at him for his inaction and hypocricy.
        i agree a new leader would be a start

        1. @leb

          it looks like human motivation like ambition leads to greed which also happen to lead to graft and corruption. so the very basic foundation is upbringing. the family is the root of all these problems we are facing. if we cut off evil by its roots, then we have no problem. just take this example, we go shopping or buy groceries at the mall. we fall in line (as good people do), then you blink and some smartass cuts in line in front of you. that’s one example.

          @ libertas

          as for a good leader, do you have someone in mind? we’re talking of someone who knows hard work and got promoted by his own merit and not just some rich, spoiled asshole who happens to be the son of a nouveau riche businessman of a prominent clan (who probably bought or killed anyone who stands in their way).

  22. Finally! I haven’t been updated on the situation out there, and before long, I am surprised that people have taken action after all– I hope that this would also eventually lead to other major changes such as administration, high demands to reform our education system once and for all (so that every child in this country will never be deprived and be exploited by opportunists as they now can think for themselves on who fits in running the nation). I wish to also see that the country become federalised, so that those in other far off regions like southern mindanao as well as other neglected regions can eventually be given the opportunity to develop their own localhoods (this is afterall my ultimate hope).
    Cheers, everyone.

    1. no, i don’t think government officials will do something about it unless their family is in grave danger or held hostage by extremists. nothing will stop those financial terrorists (corrupt gov’t officials) from stealing other people’s money. those people are evil as they have no conscience. most of these thieves (corrupt gov’t officials) are selfish, arrogant, grand-standing bastards who deserve no less punishment than those petty criminals found in the streets.

  23. You hit the mark with this Ilda.

    Great points for the timid, passive and complacent Filipinos who cherish being downtrodden morality by the few tyrant politicians and their families.

    As quoted by the late Ninoy Aquino: “What can one man can do if the Filipino people love their slavery, if the Filipino people have lost their voice and would not say NO to a tyrant, What can one man do. I have not army, I have no following, I have no money, I only have my indomitable spirit.”

    The nature of the NEW Filipino:

    1. Love to keep on writing text on their cellphones and sell their votes for a day’s load.

    2. Love to watch mindless TV soaps and demand for the government to give them more alms. (Of course from PDAF, DAP and whatever wily schemes the politicians may come up to.)

    3. Getting drunk throughout the night, borrow money from other people and fight with them with asked to pay.

    4. Marry at very young age, live with their parents, wake up from sleep at mid day, gossip with friends through cellphones and get pregnant every year.

    5. Piss or make feces anywhere to make the country a huge toilet.

    6. Go around with their motorcycle having modified very noisy exhaust which make the ear drums of people along the way burst.

    7. Turn up the volume of their karaoke so that the whole barangay need to cover their ears just to sleep during the night.

    1. This is true to every word. PHILIPPINE people will never progress. This is truly ” A Nail in the coffin analogy as you put it.

  24. Yup! We do allow it! I mean look at the Marcos’s their still in the position of power and influence…have they ever paid for their crimes? We’re in this shit because we let it happen! It all boils down to our culture of nepotism and patronizing. And do you think protesting will do anything? I suggest we hit them where it hurts and we stop paying taxes!!And stop voting actors and political dynasties all together!Shame on us all!!!

  25. There nothing we can do as for this moment with regard to this PBScam. We are all invollve in this whole fiasco because people of the Republic of the Philippines selected tbhem to there respective positions even though they know what really they are. Same faces we time and time again we saw in the Senate and House of Representatives, and sometimes we see more changes, members of their respective families also we occupied sts in every position in the institution
    . But still we tolerated this kind of system. Here come now the same people who voted this scambug shouting on the streets pointing fingers for this mess. They forget that they too are participants in this corrupt system of goverment. As I learned from historical point of view, this was already been done in the past! How can in my my wildest dream people of this republic never did something to amend or change this corruption being done for century? One thing I realized is we fail to include in our Constitution of selecting our public officials the two important requirements, first a GOD fearing
    and does not tolerate to accept bribe… Please read in the Holy Bible.

  26. You must be a Napoles apologist. You blame law enforcement agencies and some government officials which have been bought without blaming the one who bribed them. You justify Napoles going into hiding because Lacson did it. You mouth and parrot Napoles’ claim of the Inquirer being one-sided, when Napoles was given all the opportunity to give her side. What what violation of due process are you talking about. You must be utterly desperate in defending Napoles that your imagination has run wild and allege that it is a diversionary tactic and perhaps you will blame the Inquirer for that. You must be so out of touch with reality, when you speak of the public’s apathy and indifference in the light of the widespread protest against the pork barrel system, which of course should be “blamed on the Inquirer, right? If there is any trouble which the Inquirer caused, it is to your Napoles. You have misled us to read your article. You entitle it “Politicians are corrupt because Filipinos allow it.” But if there is any corrupt person in your article, it your Napoles. How could you blame Filipinos, when the system does not allow them to effectively participate in decision-making as to enable them to prevent what your Napoles did.

    1. @Severo

      Please read and understand the article properly before commenting. Which part of the article makes you think I am a Napoles apologist? That is quite an absurd allegation considering I expressed my disappointment over how easy it was for her to disappear. The article did not say it was okay for Napoles to do a “Lacson” and hide. You are totally missing the point. What I said was, Lacson set a precedent for others to avoid arrest. Look up the meaning of the word precedent to help you understand the article.

      For your info, this article was written before her arrest. The journalists who published an expose on Napoles previous to her interview with the Inquirer published their stories without getting her side. They did not get both sides of the story before printing it. That’s not what you can call balanced news. A lot of publications in the Philippines are like that. They are good at sensationalising the news. Because they already publicised her alleged crimes and put her in a bad light before her arrest, Napoles got a chance to plan her escape.

      Just because I highlighted there are corrupt members of the law enforcement agencies doesn’t mean the briber is not at fault too. That goes without saying. It’s too obvious. Again, you totally missed the point.

      Yes, the majority who are apathetic and indifferent to the country’s problems represent the whole society. Not only does the majority vote for incompetent and corrupt politicians, they don’t even feel the need to do anything when scams are uncovered. The number of people who went to the rallies against pork was so small. It was not enough to compel PNoy and Congress to get rid of pork totally. In the 2014 budget, they still allocated funds for Congress. That’s proof that PNoy was not telling the truth when he said that “it’s time to abolish pork”.

      We’re not just talking about the “uneducated” or the “poor”. PNoy’s win in 2010 proved that even so-called educated Filipinos don’t use their heads during elections and remain gullible enough to believe the yellow propaganda despite the glaring evidence of PNoy’s incompetence.

  27. You never said it is ok for Napoles to do a Lacson? So what do you mean when you said quoting Napoles’ lawyer that if Lacson can do it, why can’t Napoles and ending that statement with “She does have a point”? What do you mean when you said Lacson set a precedent? Did you even bother to look for the meaning of “precedent” before you used it? It means an action or decision that can be used subsequently as an example for a similar decision or to justify a similar action.” So, Napoles must be justified for doing a Lacson, right? So you say it is FAIR for Napoles to disappear from the spotlight? She did not disappear because of the attention being given to her. She disappeared because she went into hiding so evade arrest. I glanced at your list of previous articles and one of them spoke of Napoles as a fall guy, which I believe has compromised the true intent of your articles. Galman was a fall guy. But Napoles, a fall guy? Indeed, even in articles,things are not always what they seem.

    1. Yes, the lawyer had a point because since Lacson got away with evading the law, others like Napoles now have an excuse to copy him to try and evade the law as well. The article didn’t say it was OKAY to do it though. Frankly, the reason you keep missing the point is because you are interpreting the message the wrong way.

      Now there is a saying that you shouldn’t argue with someone who is not on the same level as you. Let’s both follow that advice, shall we? 😉

      Ta-ta!

  28. It can’t be helped. First of all, a lot of us have no clue what is politics. Those who do have a hint of it, won’t even care knowing more about it. Second, are very much divided. People would vote those who they think are related to them or they might get benefit on, corrupt or not corrupt… Simple remedy here would be greater exposure to our politics and stuff… We should educate ourselves to properly use of voting rights and democratic stuff…

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