All posts by Amok

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With “Partial Martial,” Philippines President Arroyo secures her legacy as “Marcos Lite”

President Arroyo has finally secured her legacy as “Marcos Lite.” 

That’s my name for the president who has managed to keep the corruption levels and human rights violations during her administration under a level to cause absolute world-wide indignation.

She’s President Obama’s buddy, right.

But now Arroyo has unequivocally earned her sobriquet by using the already horrific Maguindanao mass murders  to justify martial law, a straight steal from the Marcos playbook.

For one second, perhaps we can let cooler heads prevail. Is it really all that bad? It’s not full martial law. Just in Maguindanao.

Call it “Partial Martial.”

Of course, there’s no such thing as being a little bit pregnant either.

But let’s give the president the benefit of the doubt.

The power move shows Arroyo certainly isn’t going gently into her good night. I thought P.M. was supposed to stand for “prime minister,” reportedly  the next coveted  position  Madame Arroyo was concocting for future occupancy. That would require some changes in the Philippine democracy itself,  but it seems that with this “p.m.” Arroyo’s already applying some aggressive  constitutional interpretation.

She’s even using the same rule that Marcos used to invoke full-on martial law.

But as Pacifico Agabin, a former dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law, told Inquirer reporters, Arroyo’s declaration is  unwarranted and unnecessary as the government has shown control of the situation in Maguindanao with the arrests of the Ampatuans.

 “The only grounds for the declaration of martial law are invasion and rebellion. I don’t think the Ampatuans are capable of launching a rebellion against the government,” he told the Inquirer.

He added that the constitution requires “actual rebellion,” not merely a threat.

There was already a change in the law in 1987, so that a repeat of Marcos could not be possible without a real threat to the government.

The U.S. Constitution, from which the Philippine Constitution has a “martial law” clause. But who in his right mind would declare it in a democracy without a real threat to the government.

Certainly a president can issue a “state of emergency” if need be.  But to go right to martial law?

In this case, Arroyo has taken off her soiled velvet gloves and revealed her iron fist.

Did she really think it would be as becoming with her red dress?

There’s no reason for partial martial, period. A massacre, as bad as it is, isn’t a rebellion.

So what’s the purpose, of p.m.?

Well, p.r.

 Arroyo likely feels the only way to distance her administration from her former allies the Ampatuans is to come down hard on on all of Maguindanao.  With partial martial, she creates the illusion of zero tolerance, whereas all along she has actually empowered the Ampatuans to do as they wish.

She also tests her power. Partial martial let’s her feel the wheel of absolute control in a portion of the archipelago, and let’s her consider an option. Could she go all the way in a transgression of the constitution to extend her presidency for “the good of the country”?

Legislators and the people must speak out now. Marcos Lite? “Partial Martial” is a clear sign of a second coming.

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San Francisco’s Philippine American Press Club start “Justice Fund” to aid journalists killed in Maguindanao Massacre

In San Francisco, in a show of sympathy, solidarity and support for the 30 journalists killed in the Maguindanao Massacre, the Philippine American Press Club will hold a program at St.Patrick’s Church (Mission and 4th St., San Francisco) at 6pm on Wednesday, Dec.2. 

After a memorial mass, the press group’s program will feature journalists who have extensively covered Philippine issues. Among the speakers are Filipinas Magazine publisher Greg Macabenta and San Francisco Chronicle Executive Editor Phil Bronstein.  The program is free and open to the public.

Donations will be gladly accepted to seed a “Justice Fund” to assist families of the victims, witnesses and groups speaking out for the rights of journalists. 

In Manila, an estimated 3,000 Filipino media workers and supporters staged what was called an “indignation rally” on Monday near Manila’s Malacanang Palace (The Philippine “White House”) . So far 57 bodies have been recovered connected to last week’s massacre in Maguindanao. 

 http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20091201-239484/Media-groups-hold-indignation-rally-on-Mendiola

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Manny Pacquiao:Pound-for-pound champ? Try best ever

The esteemed Larry Merchant on HBO echoed what must have been in the minds of others who just witness MannyPacquiao win his seventh world championship in seven weight classes: “We thought he was great, but he was better than we thought.”

That statement at the end of the fight offically ends the period we shall call “The  Under-estimation of Manny Pacquiao.”  No matter what, Pacquiao keeps proving the doubters wrong with his lethal combination of spirit, charm, and boxing brilliance.

It’s easy to see how dismissive people can be of Manny. When I first met him, I was frankly stunned by his size. I was taller than he was. But who would put a dollar on me going 30 seconds with Manny?

He’s the guy who walks down the street you don’t figure him to be much more than the parking valet. But given the chance to prove himself, he wows you with a determination and skill far greater than his size.

Last night was a real milestone. For all of boxing’s cruelty, the weight class divisions are intended to make things fair so that a big guy can’t bully a little guy. It levels the playing field. So what does it say, when a guy keeps rising in rank, seven weight classes, and not just performs but excels at the highest level?

We’ve really got something special here. Far greater than anyone would have imagined. Pacquiao proved it in the ring last night.

Going up in class? No problem. Here’s a guy whose fists are affirmative action.

Pacquiao took Miguel Cotto’s savage punches like he was a “Rock’em-Sock’em robot.” When Manny’s head would snap back, I gasped. Cotto was bigger and more powerful than any of Manny’s previous opponents. So I admit I was concerned, especially by Cotto’s size. But then, Manny would come back and counter, as he did  in the 4th round. Throughout the fight, Manny  revealed his version of Ali’s “rope-a-dope.” Call it  the “ropeless-rope-a dope,” out in the middle, fist-up, elbows together fortress style. It was there to let Cotto punch himself out.  Then Manny would uncover and find a crevice in Cotto’s defense. A right hand then a left hook caught Cotto in the 4th for the second knockdown of the fight. It was the beginning of the end.

Cotto, as he was inthe Clottey fight, was badly cut and bleeding. So much vaseline and swabbing of blood. I said it would go TKO in the 10th. The fight should have been stopped after 9. Only the macho pride of Cotto would keep it until the 12th.

Now the talk is of the next fight. Everyone says Mayweather. Who is to doubt Pacquiao? The “Understimaton of Manny” has officially ended.

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The Pacquiao-Cotto fight is a reminder of America’s colonial past

Pacquiao and Cotto?

Not since the Spanish American War have we had the pitting of Philippine and Puerto Rican interests   (I dare not count the time I shared a common sink in my Harvard co-op with two beautiful Puerto Rican sisters).

The history books tell the tale of how the Republic of the Philippines and Puerto Rico were intertwined in  America’s colonial past.  But this time the colonizer is promoter Bob Arum, who straddles both fighters, and stands to make millions as he watches his two stars try to rip the other’s head off.

It’s going to be a war, said Arum on one of the promotion films on the fight. He even admitted feeling somewhat conflicted.

But not when he begins to count up the money.

Perhaps it’s not his fault that he finds himself the promoter of both sides of an incredible spectacle the world is willing to pay millions for: Two average-sized tattooed men in their underwear  pummeling each other in three minute intervals.

In the fight game, small is beautiful now. Good for both Pacman and Cotto.  Better for Arum.

My prediction?  As an American Filipino, I have my biases. Pacquiao’s part of the metaphor means so much for the Philippines and to those of Filipino descent world-wide.

To Filipinos, Pacquiao is like a one- man Yankees.  

He’s the feel-good  symbol for all Filipino endeavors.  He is the “Si se puede” guy  for Filipinos.  It’s a chance for history. World championship titles in 7 divisions? That’s an unprecedented walk up the evolutionary chart of boxing. 

If he loses, the psychic damage will require more than a visit to the faith healer.

If he wins….then Manny Pacquiao for president is not a joke.

But Cotto is no pushover opponent. He is a true man of 140 pounds or more, the biggest Pacquiao has faced. If you saw the Cotto-Clottey fight, then you know Cotto, bloodied, battered, can hang.  He’s a slow, plodder, who doesn’t go down.

The contrast should be evident. Pacquiao is a ducker and a dancer. He’s fast.  Cotto may have power, but it won’t matter if he doesn’t catch Pacquiao.  If Pacquiao can keep dancing, while dishing out his own barrage of punches, then I call it Manny’s in 10 by TKO.

But, of course,  Bob Arum wins no matter what.