“(I)f this is the Times view, she may already have lost all support in the US capital. Certainly, the liberals of the present administration cannot be pleased with her.”
by Ducky Paredes
This is a letter that was sent to President Barack Obama of the United States: “We shared the wonderful jubilation of the American people during your historic election triumph. When you assumed office early this year, we rejoiced at the audacious hope that you inspired, and on your promise of change for the common good.
“We joined all freedom loving people of the world who exulted when you declared that ‘those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent…are on the wrong side of history.’
“The Filipino People share the same morals, ideals and aspirations that define the envied way of life of the American people. Filipinos yearn for the same kind of leaders that the American people yearn for themselves; leaders who are imbued with the right values, lead principled lives, and govern with the highest ethical standards. The ideals of justice, democracy and the upliftment of human rights animate the Filipino people’s dreams of a better world in much the same way that these ideals animate the dreams of the American people.
“Upon your invitation, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will have the chance to meet with you on July 30, 2009. In your meeting with Ms. Arroyo, it may serve you well to be mindful of Ms. Arroyo’s legacy of corruption, extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, bribery, election cheating, among others. We do not wish to belabor you with the details of these high crimes, which have surely been documented and reported by the U.S. State Department to your office.
“The Filipino People also yearn for change from the effrontery of hopelessness and the curse of decadence that Ms. Arroyo represents. In your meeting with Mrs. Arroyo, we feel confident that you will make clear to her that a Government that does not comply with Principles of Democracy and respect for Human Rights cannot have the approval and support of your administration. We implore you Mr. President to inspire hope and be an instrument of change for the common good of the long suffering Filipino People.”
This was signed by Teofisto Guingona Jr., former Senate Presidents Jovito Salonga and Franklin Drilon, former SC justice Camilo D. Quiason, former senators Wigberto Tanada, Sergio Osmena III, Vicente Paterno Jr., Agapito “Butch” Aquino, and former secretaries Josefina T. Lichauco, former solicitor-general Frank Chavez, Corazon Soliman, Juan Santos, Jejomar Binay, and Bro. Eddie Villanueva, Sr. Mary John Mananzan, Atty. Harry Roque and Jun Lozada.
* * *
Frankly, I am not too much in favor of Pinoys dumping on other Pinoys in the presence of foreigners specially when those foreigners are those we want to continue to deal with after our political battles. In the case of President Obama, it is almost an insult to write him a letter with a view of making him aware of the situation in the Philippines.
As the letter itself points out: “We do not wish to belabor you with the details of these high crimes which have surely been documented and reported by the U.S. State Department to your office.” If, as the letter says, these things have been reported to Obama, why would he be interested in a letter signed by people he does not know, telling him nothing new, mean anything to him?
No, in conscience, I cannot go along with the letter. I think, all in all, this letter does the country more harm than good and will not influence Obama to err on the side of the letter-writers.
* * *
This is the Washington Times Editorial in the run-up to the visit of President Gloria Arroyo with President Barack Obama:
“Somebody at the National Security Council dropped the ball. On Thursday, President Obama is welcoming Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the White House for his presidency’s first visit by a Southeast Asian leader. The choice of Mrs. Arroyo for this honor was a mistake because Mr. Obama is being used to give political cover for the Philippine president’s troubles back home.
“Mrs. Arroyo’s domestic political position is precarious. A poll released June 8 by the Pulse Asia polling firm pegged Mrs. Arroyo’s public approval at only 26 percent. Street demonstrations against her are routine and growing in size. These protests are in response to a dubious mandate following a dirty 2004 election and numerous allegations of corruption against her family and administration. Her husband, Mike Arroyo, has left the country and used doctors’ notes to say he is too ill to obey court summons related to corruption charges.
“The Philippines has become less free during Mrs. Arroyo’s 10-year presidency. According to Freedom House, “Corruption is extensive throughout the Philippine state apparatus, from the lowest to the highest levels. Bribes and extortion seem to be a regular element of the complex connections among bureaucrats, politicians, businessmen, the press and the public.” In Transparency International’s 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index, the Philippines ranked 141st out of 180 nations on a list in which No. 1 is the least corrupt. The level of Philippine corruption is tied with Iran and Yemen and worse than in dodgy places such as Libya and Nigeria.
“The corruption problem is affecting Manila’s relationship with other allies. A senior Philippine official told The Washington Times that German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent Mrs. Arroyo an ultimatum last month that Berlin-Manila ties are at risk if the Philippines doesn’t pay $60 million owed to the German government for Manila’s new international airport. The Philippine government seized the airport and refused to pay a German company — which is partly owned by the German state — for its construction after revelations that the contract allegedly was laden with millions in bribes and kickbacks.
“There are also serious human-rights abuses in the archipelago. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, ‘The Philippines ranks sixth worldwide among countries that fail to prosecute cases of journalists killed for their work.’ Between 1992 and 2008, at least 34 journalists were murdered in the Philippines; there were convictions in only three of these cases. Four more members of the press were killed this June alone. Opposition voices regularly disappear as well.
“On top of all this are machinations by Mrs. Arroyo to cling to power by setting aside next May’s presidential election. The president and her allies are pushing to amend the Philippine constitution to change the current U.S.-style presidential system into a parliamentary system whereby Mrs. Arroyo could serve as prime minister. This would allow her to circumvent the presidential term limit which prevents her from staying in office. This move, incidentally, is similar to the strategy strongman Ferdinand Marcos used to stay in power after declaring martial law in 1972.
“”The relationship between Washington and Manila is an old and important one. After the U.S. victory in the Spanish-American war in 1898, the Philippine islands were a U.S. colony for half a century and have remained a close ally in the six decades since independence was granted in 1946. The current Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries allows U.S. troops on Philippine soil to help in the war on terrorism and to assist the Philippines with its fight against Islamic insurrection in the southern islands.”
“But the nation should be differentiated from its lame-duck leader. Welcoming Mrs. Arroyo to the White House only validates her troubled rule.”
* * *
What is important to remember about the Washington Times is that it is a right-wing paper. This is why it will, given any kind of choice, err on the side that is against Obama on any issue. As for the Arroyo administration, if this is the Times view, she may already have lost all support in the US capital. Certainly, the liberals of the present administration cannot be pleased with her.
# # # #
hvp 07.30.09)
Post a Comment