What I learned today on the Nicole-VFA case

We had a meeting today with our lawyers on the VFA case along with organizations involved in the campaign.

1. The consensus among the lawyers is that the latest Nicole affidavit was not a recantation in the strict sense because it did not entirely contradict her earlier statement that she was raped. What she did was cast reasonable doubt on her previous testimony. That cloud of doubt can be used to influence the CA and divide public opinion on Nicole. This serves the goals of the Smith camp to get an acquittal (how they will do that legally is another issue). The move is also an attempt to douse cold water on the anti VFA protests.

2. There are serious ethical questions on the involvement on the Sycip Salazar law firm that represented Smith and apparently prepared and notarized the affidavit of Nicole. The same law firm representing the accused was helping the accuser “change” or sabotage her previous testimony. A member of that law firm also notarized Nicole’s affidavit. The Nicole affidavit was prepared March 12, four days before Atty. Ursua received Nicole’s notice of termination. It means that the lawyers of Smith were already talking to Nicole, behind the back of her counsel.

3. In the Court of Appeals, Nicole is represented by the Office of the Solicitor General, since the case is on appeal after being decided by the Makati RTC. But in the Supreme Court case on Smith’s custody and the VFA, the OSG is opposing Nicole. Kakampi mo sa isa, kalaban mo sa kabila. Weird no? Conflict of interest.

4. This is very much a political issue as it is a legal issue. The fight is not just in the hands of the lawyers. We should be very much involved. The protests must be aimed at the institutions and interests that stand in the way of justice and undermine our sovereignty. The Smith camp and the Arroyo regime and the US government are all using extra-legal means to undermine the rape case and the anti-VFA campaign. There’s diplomatic pressure, underhanded legal maneuvers, attacks from government officials etc. The people must respond by intensifying the protests aimed at the VFA, the puppet Arroyo regime, the interventionist US, and the agencies, offices and personalities obstructing justice.

What I learned today on the Nicole-VFA case

We had a meeting today with our lawyers on the VFA case along with organizations involved in the campaign.

1. The consensus among the lawyers is that the latest Nicole affidavit was not a recantation in the strict sense because it did not entirely contradict her earlier statement that she was raped. What she did was cast reasonable doubt on her previous testimony. That cloud of doubt can be used to influence the CA and divide public opinion on Nicole. This serves the goals of the Smith camp to get an acquittal (how they will do that legally is another issue). The move is also an attempt to douse cold water on the anti VFA protests.

2. There are serious ethical questions on the involvement on the Sycip Salazar law firm that represented Smith and apparently prepared and notarized the affidavit of Nicole. The same law firm representing the accused was helping the accuser “change” or sabotage her previous testimony. A member of that law firm also notarized Nicole’s affidavit. The Nicole affidavit was prepared March 12, four days before Atty. Ursua received Nicole’s notice of termination. It means that the lawyers of Smith were already talking to Nicole, behind the back of her counsel.

3. In the Court of Appeals, Nicole is represented by the Office of the Solicitor General, since the case is on appeal after being decided by the Makati RTC. But in the Supreme Court case on Smith’s custody and the VFA, the OSG is opposing Nicole. Kakampi mo sa isa, kalaban mo sa kabila. Weird no? Conflict of interest.

4. This is very much a political issue as it is a legal issue. The fight is not just in the hands of the lawyers. We should be very much involved. The protests must be aimed at the institutions and interests that stand in the way of justice and undermine our sovereignty. The Smith camp and the Arroyo regime and the US government are all using extra-legal means to undermine the rape case and the anti-VFA campaign. There’s diplomatic pressure, underhanded legal maneuvers, attacks from government officials etc. The people must respond by intensifying the protests aimed at the VFA, the puppet Arroyo regime, the interventionist US, and the agencies, offices and personalities obstructing justice.

Pagpupugay kay Kiko Makabayan, A tribute to Francis D. Magalona, exponent of nationalism in music and the visual arts

by Renato Reyes, Jr., BAYAN Secretary General

Very few people are entitled to have the word “legend” attached to their names. Even fewer for those who are just aged 44.

Francis Magalona was a music pioneer, a trailblazer for all the Pinoy rappers and hip-hop artists today. He started out when most Filipinos had not even heard of hip-hop. He was a giant in his field, yet never forgot to look after the “little people”, the aspiring artists he took under his wing, or the young rappers he inspired.

The Master Rapper lived up to the words of the late Lino Brocka, that the artist is also a citizen.

I remember as a kid, listening to “Mga Kababayan”, “Man from Manila” and “Tayo’y mga Pinoy”. These songs gave us a sense of national identity, a concept that was just forming in our heads as high school kids. The “M” in Francis M. could have very well stood for “Makabayan”.

Francis M. was down with being Brown with lyrics such as “Mga kababayan ko, dapat lang malaman nyo, bilib ako sa kulay ko, ako ay Pilipino!” and “I am the Man from Manila. Kami ang tinig ng Kayumanggi”. He brought a sense of national pride into Pinoy hip-hop at a time when references to nationalism in music were common only to folk artists. He not only carried patriotic sentiments through his work, he stamped the industry with his energetic and creative advocacy of national pride. In a time when the emerging hip-hop movement turned to foreign acts as their models, Francis M. sought to promote indigenous influences and fuse it with the hip-hop form.

For Francis M., national pride was never just a fad or a creative way of breaking into the music business. He was consistent with his advocacy. No other artist form his generation has sought to popularize nationalism with such consistency and fervor. From music to the visual arts, the “three stars and a sun” were forever etched into his works.

But more than this affirmation of national identity is the serious effort of speaking out against social ills. There’s the remarkable Kaleidoscope World, reminding us that “some are friends, some are foes, some have some, while some have most.” There’s the anthem Ito ang Gusto Ko! which trumpeted the ideals of freedom, justice, truth, peace and human rights.

There’s his collaboration on Lando with Gloc 9, about a tragic relationship set in urban poverty. There’s Liham sa Pangulo which he did with Stick Figgas and Gloc 9, a scathing criticism of corruption at the highest levels.

“Mahal na pangulo bakit mahal ang mga bilihin/Di mo na nanaisin na tumira dito sa bayan natin
Ang kinain ng mayaman tinatapon sa basura/Pinupulot ng mahirap mapuno lang ang sikmura
Balahurang nahalal kaban ng bayan isinugal/Isinambulat sa Senado at sa dyaryo binulgar
Napahiya’t ayaw umamain na sila’y nagnakaw din/Di lang sa pagkain pati sa pera ay matakaw din/At pagdating sa lupain sila ay mga buakaw din/Lahat ay inaangkin kahit ano ay gagawin
Mga sakim, ganid sa ginto di makuntento sa milyon/Bilyon ang gusto kahit ang bayan ay baon
Sa utang at sa kangkungan pupulutin/Tanong ko lang sa inyo mahal niyo ba ang bayan natin
Mahal na pangulo paano na ang pilipinas/Lantarang pagnanakaw araw araw di lilipas”

Then there’s also That Money which he did with Fil-Am rapper Kiwi and Gloc 9, talking about corporate greed. Francis M. was a revered figure even among Fil-Am hip-hop artists who also sought to grasp their roots while living in the US.

His works weren’t just rhymes without reason. These verses spoke the truth about the society we live in. Nationalism and social commentary will form part of the enduring legacy of Francis Magalona.

Lest I forget, Francis M’s “influence” on the mass movement was this short line which he used to do in the TV program Loveli-ness when he’d do the music chart countdown with Willie Revillame on drums. He’d usually say “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no-no” as part of his routine. This line was picked up by activists and was popular during rallies in the early 90’s, “Say no! Ayoko! Say, No, no, no, no, no,no ,no no-no… sa base militar ng Kano dito!”. It’s still used today, for various issues.

Pinoy Music is a head shorter now without the Man from Manila. He will be truly missed. It is our hope that his words and works will live on in the next generation of artists who will pick up a mic, a turntable or any instrument.

Paalam, Kiko Makabayan.

The Watchmen

This is my third attempt to write a review on the Watchmen. The first two ended up being accidentally deleted by me pressing something on the keyboard. Damn Facebook.

I am no longer inclined to write a decent review now, and will instead just list down probably meaningless rants about the movie.

1. What happened to the fake alien with a deadly psychic blast that killed millions in the graphic novel? Did Zack Snyder think that an exploding super weapon had better cinematic effect? And that a ginormous crater would look better on film compared to, say a hideous but dead fake alien monster slumped over Wall Street?

2. The fights scenes were reminiscent of 300, though more violent and with close ups to boot. The Snyder Slow-Mo was cool during the first time it was used. But seeing the same style over and over, it kinda gets stale. The close ups were great though. Imagine if FPJ had this kind of technology while shooting Ang Panday and slaying all those followers of Lizardo, that would have been awesome.

3. Stupid double standards. The usually conservative MTRCB did not edit Dr. Manhattan’s Dirk Dillinger “stimulus package” throughout the film. (Because it was blue?) Yet the MTRCB edited the scenes between Nite Owl and Silk Spectre.

4. The sound track was great. The writers tried to give the whole backstory to the Watchmen through the full length of Dylan’s Times They are A-changing. Nice effort. I sure as hell don’t understand why Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah was the music for the love scene. And the love scene, it looked too much like 300. Everything was in the Snyder Slow Mo. Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of All Along the Watchtower, as our heroes traversed Antarctica, saved the day.

5. There was no emotional build up towards Armageddon. All we saw was the President and his Joint Chiefs of Staff holed up in a bunker. We didn’t see the fear and anxiety of ordinary people as nuclear annihilation seemed imminent, thus the audience could not make an emotional connection to the final crucial events.

6. Ok, Alan Moore may have had a point. Maybe his story is better read than seen on the big screen. Maybe this should have been a trilogy. The comic book had lots of details, sub-plots, back stories, even a comic within a comic. And it made for great reading. Of course, you can’t have all that in a movie though.Still, you have to admire the effort put into producing this film. They really tried to stick to the original story given the less than three hours that they had.

7. No I don’t regret seeing this film. I’m just upset that I accidentally deleted my first two reviews.

Farewell Master Rapper Francis M.

Today we received the sad news that Pinoy rap legend Francis Magallona passed away. It was a day we had not expected to come so soon, despite the battle with leukemia. Folks were actually expecting a new collaborative album with Ely Buendia, even during Francis M’s treatment.

Very few people are entitled to have the word “legend” attached to their names. Even fewer for someone who is just 44.

Kiko was a pioneer, a trailblazer for all the pinoy rappers today. He started out when folks had not even heard of hip-hop. He was a giant in his field, yet never forgot to look after the “little people”, the aspiring artists he took under his wing, or the young rappers he inspired.

The Master Rapper lived up to the words of the late Lino Brocka, that the artist is also a citizen.

I remember as a kid, listening to “Mga Kababayan” and “Man from Manila”, “Tayo’y mga Pinoy”. These songs gave us a sense of national identity, a concept that was just forming in our heads as grade-schoolers. The words “three stars and a sun” will always be associated with him.

Francis M. was down with being Brown. “Mga kababayan ko, dapat lang malaman nyo, bilib ako sa kulay ko, ako ay Pilipino!”. “I am the Man from Manila. Kami ang tinig ng Kayumanggi”. He brought that sense of national pride into Pinoy hip-hop. (We also enjoyed “Cold Summer Nights, by the way).

But more than this affirmation of national identity is the serious effort at commenting on social ills. There’s the remarkable “Kaleidoscope World”, reminding us that some are friends, some are foes, some have some, while some have most.

There’s his collaboration on Lando with Gloc 9 about a tragic relationship set in urban poverty. There’s Liham sa Pangulo which he did with Stick Figgas and Gloc 9, a scathing criticism of corruption at the highest levels.

“Mahal na pangulo bakit mahal ang mga bilihin
Di mo na nanaisin na tumira dito sa bayan natin
Ang kinain ng mayaman tinatapon sa basura
Pinupulot ng mahirap mapuno lang ang sikmura
Balahurang nahalal halos kaban ng bayan isinugal
Isinambulat sa Senado at sa dyaryo binulgar
Napahiya’t ayaw umamain na sila’y nagnakaw din
Di lang sa pagkain pati sa pera ay matakaw din
At pagdating sa lupain sila ay mga buakaw din
Lahat ay inaangkin kahit ano ay gagawin
Mga sakim, ganid sa ginto di makuntento sa milyon
Bilyon ang gusto kahit ang bayan ay baon
Sa utang at sa kangkungan pupulutin
Tanong ko lang sa inyo mahal niyo ba ang bayan natin
Mahal na pangulo paano na ang pilipinas
Lantarang pagnanakaw araw araw di lilipas”

There’s That Money which he did with Fil-Am rapper Kiwi and Gloc 9, talking about corporate greed. http://www.imeem.com/kiwizzo/music/psUW0eqg/kiwi-that-money-feat-gloc9-and-francis-m/

These weren’t just rhymes without reason. These verses spoke the truth about the society we live in.

Lest I forget, Francis M’s “influence” on the mass movement was this short line which he used to do in that TV program Loveli-ness when he’d do the music chart countdown with Willie Revillame on drums. He’d say “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no-no”. This line was picked up by activists and was popular during rallies, “Say no! Ayoko! Say, No, no, no, no, no,no ,no no-no… sa base militar ng Kano dito!”.

Pinoy Music is a head shorter now without the Man from Manila. He will be truly missed. It is our hope that his words and works will live on in the next generation of artists who will pick up a mic and and instrument.

Farewell.

VFA: Is it really indispensable?

Renato Reyes, Jr.
March 3, 2009

The Department of Foreign Affairs. Department o f Justice and the Department of National Defense are singing the chorus that the VFA is indispensible and that we stand to lose the huge benefits from the accord. The alleged benefits are spelled out in terms of “counter-terrorism” training and “humanitarian missions”. The DFA released a fact sheet last week detailing the benefits from the VFA.

DFA: “The RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) is crucial to building a strong Philippines and maintaining a stable Asia-Pacific.” As an integral part of the network of alliances in the Asia-Pacific, the VFA helps preserve peace and stability in an era of uncertainty brought on by the emergence of non-traditional threats to security. The VFA implements the Philippines’ only military alliance and its most effective deterrent against any potential aggressor.

We say: More than anything, it is the US which is most interested in maintaining is military presence in the Asia-Pacific region as part of its forward presence and power projection against potential rivals. US military deployment in the region serves primarily US geo-political and economic interest. The same could be said for the time when the US had military bases in the country. The justifications then were the “cold war”. Now it’s the “war on terror”. Whatever they call it, it’s the same drive for US hegemony.

The DFA says that the VFA is a deterrent to external aggression. Aggression from whom? The Chinese? The Japanese (again)? As far as we know, there are no external threats confronting the Philippines. We are not at war with any country. And if the VFA is so concerned with external threats, why is it being invoked to address INTERNAL threats including the Abu Sayyaf?

Furthermore, how exactly does the VFA build a strong Philippines when it undermines our judiciary and our institutions for governance? The Smith incident and his continuing detention in the US embassy is a clear example of how the VFA weakens our institutions because it insists that US troops enjoy exemptions and special treatment.

DFA: “The VFA is essential to RP-US cooperation in the Philippine Defense Reform Program.” As a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA), the Philippines enjoys priority status in sourcing Excess Defense Articles.

We say: The status of the MNNA was “bestowed” on us in 2003 during Arroyo’s meeting with Bush. It was a “reward” for Arroyo’s support for the unjustified US invasion of Iraq.

Being a major Non-Nato Ally means we get Excess Defense Articles or US military hand-me-downs. This is nothing new because even during the time of the US bases, we got some $140 million in second hand stuff. The question we should ask is, “despite all that second hand gear, why is it that the AFP still failed to modernize?” The AFP did not modernize when we had US bases here. It certainly won’t modernize from arms surplus from the US now.

The Federation of American Scientists in an article said “Not wanting to pay the costs of storing or destroying the surplus, the Department of Defense dispenses most of it for free or at deep reduction through the excess defense articles (EDA) program… Among the leading recipients of free weapons through the EDA program in 1996 were Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Bahrain and Turkey — all countries where serious political repression and/or human rights violations were reported.”
The Philippine government, with its gross human rights abuses, fits perfectly in the profile of big-time EDA recipients.

On the other hand, what do the Americans get from the VFA?

They are allowed the entry of an unlimited number of troops who can be stationed in the Philippines for an unlimited period of time. They have been stationed in Zamboanga, inside Camp Navarro, since 2002. They have set up there a headquarters for the Joint Special Operations Task Force- Philippines. They have a virtual base even in the absence of a basing treaty. They are no longer just visitors since they’ve been staying from almost seven years now. We can’t really monitor who goes in and out because they’re not required to get visas.

The VFA is some ways worse than the bases agreement because it is in effect indefinitely unlike the Military Bases Agreement which expired in 1991.

The US troops gets special treatment when legal issues arise.

The US forces do not pay customs duties and are not required to secure visas.

At any given time, there are US troops stationed in the country. It’s as if the bases never left.

DFA: The VFA generates income for the country… provided revenues for the AFP amounting to US$706,425.28 from seventy (70) recorded transactions. United States ship visits to the Philippines have brought in $ 5 million and $ 9.5 million in 2006 and 2007, respectively, as proceeds from the replenishment of supplies and logistics.

We say: This assertion smacks of utter mendicancy. Just because we get a few million dollars in supposed income, the DFA thinks that the VFA has become indispensable. “Extra income” doesn’t make a compelling argument for indispensability. Neither do second-hand military equipment or even medical missions. These do not make the VFA “indispensable” as the DFA insists, especially when taken in the light of national sovereignty.

During the negotiations for the renewal of the RP-US bases agreement, there was an estimate that the Philippines would be getting some $730 million all-in yearly compensation. Still, this did not convince Philippine senators to ratify the treaty. And rightly so. Sovereignty should not have a price tag.

DFA: The VFA facilitates RP-US cooperation eliminating the scourge of terrorism and in rebuilding in times of disaster.

We say: The scourge of terrorism is a dangerous and sweeping term considering that the US and Philippine governments have a penchant of using the terrorist label on legitimate liberation movements and critics of US policies. In the context of the Bush “war on terror”, US deployment globally is meant to protect and advance US hegemonic interests. The “war on terror” has been totally discredited especially after the invasion of Iraq and the scandals at Guantanamo.

So-called “terrorism” falls outside the threats contemplated under the Mutual Defense Treaty from which the VFA takes its cue. And if the DFA is referring to efforts at neutralizing the bandit group Abu Sayyaf, we believe that this should be properly handled by Philippine authorities as a domestic issue and not subjected to US intervention. The ASG threat has become such a convenient excuse to have US troops in Mindanao that one wonders if the ASG’s continued existence is meant to justify continuing US presence.

DFA: The VFA directly benefits the Filipino people through its civil-military and humanitarian component.

We say: Why does the Philippine government make such a big deal out of these dental and medical missions conducted by the US troops? Clearly the so-called “humanitarian” missions are merely part of the bigger military objectives of intervention. These civic actions are meant to increase public acceptance of the interventionist force, as admitted to by the documents of the US Pacific Command. If the US military occupation in Iraq conducts medical and dental missions, does that change the fact that they are a foreign occupation force?

The Philippine government has the primary role in providing medical services to its people. These services can be undertaken even without the presence of American soldiers in our barrios, if only the Philippine government prioritizes health and other social services.

One time, US forces in Sulu ordered a hospital in Panamao town to close not later than 6pm because US forces felt the presence of a public hospital near their encampment was a security threat.

DFA: The VFA is a concrete manifestation of the enduring alliance between the Philippines and the United States. Clearly, the strategic defense relations, with the VFA as its anchor, have been instrumental in strengthening the country, securing its stability and in ensuring its continued prosperity.

We say: The so-called enduring alliance has dragged the Philippines to the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the US invasion of Iraq. This alliance has supported US aggression worldwide, dragging us into wars not of our own choosing.

This alliance is lopsided in favor of the US. This alliance does not serve national interest. These relations are not built on mutuality and reciprocity. Look at VFA 2 and see how differently Filipino troops are treated compared to their American counterparts in VFA 1.

That the VFA is useful for national development is an unsubstantiated and outrageous claim. Given the fact that the country is in the throes of a crisis, it is ridiculous to even claim that our “strategic defense relations” with the US has been instrumental in strengthening the country, securing its stability and in ensuring its continued prosperity.
We can certainly do without the VFA. Nothing in this agreement makes it indispensable. In fact, there is even urgency to rid ourselves of this one-sided pact and to reassert our national sovereignty. ###