I desperately need to ask all the idiots who made a lot of noise clamouring for the release to the public of all these Napoles Lists this simple question:
What now?
See, I’ve long asserted that a proper and modern investigation of the pork barrel scam can be mounted without these lists. For that matter, we don’t need the help of all these “whistleblowers”. We can throw them in prison tomorrow and still dig up the truth if there is a sincere will to do so. More importantly, we do not even need Janet Lim Napoles. Indeed, it was Napoles who created all this confusion to begin with by distributing these inconsistent lists to these bozos (among them the President, the Justice Secretary, and an ex-police chief no less). Pretty clever, if you ask me. I think Napoles really deserves her millions — and Filipinos really deserve to be stolen blind. Science has long proven that nature tends to reward intelligence.
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Everyone in the Philippines’ little clique of self-appointed “thought leaders” have been played for fools. It is a no-brainer that Filipinos have long known that Philippine Senators and House representatives steal pork barrel funds as a matter of routine. Back on the 13th August 1996 — eighteen years ago — the Philippine Daily Inquirer had published an “award-winning” exposé on Pinoy-style pork barrel thievery.
Back then, there was no Napoles, no bad-hair-day media-whore whistleblowers, no Napoles Lists, no social media “activists”, no “#ScrapPork Network”, and no “daang matuwid” BS president. All the data needed to nail crooked Senators and House Representatives to the wall already existed — just as these all exist today. Perhaps the auditors who were responsible for ensuring the security of these public funds should be thrown in prison as well.
Now that the Napoles Lists are out, we see the idiotic tweets and Facebook rants of every “activist” and her dog now dismissing them as “sanitised”. Well, thanks a lot. You’ve all been had because you all would rather dance to the tune of the popular sentiment of hollow-headed “indignation” instead of applying a bit of thinking for a change.
It’s simple, really.
The investigation need not revolve around Napoles. It should revolve around a full audit of all funds channeled through Congress over those last 18 years (at least) since the Inquirer ran that report. With all this technology at our disposal and all the pontificating about Big Data by IT consultants, you’d think that all that would be possible in the 21st Century.
All these bozos on social media keep harping about “freedom of information” (FOI daw). Well, the acid test for an FOI “advocacy” is staring them in the face. It is not about putting stuff on websites or making fancy iPad apps that a bunch of latte-sipping Starbucks barnacles can play with in their so-called “tweetups”.
Are there no intelligent activists nowadays? Thanks to this crop of hollow-headed digital parliamentarians, these Napoles Lists and the idiots who waved them like flags for weeks — mere pieces of asswipes now — were made out to be the most important components of the investigation into national pork barrel thievery.
Holy wild goosechase Batman!
Rather than move the initiative forward, it is now hopelessly setback. That’s Pinoy-style “activism” for you. Paatras ang asenso. Guess what: we are in for another Senate tele-inquiry. That’s like asking a crook to investigate his own crime. Pretty much enough to keep this Bobotante Nation distracted for the next two years — enough time for President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III to escape.
Smart.
Hoy Pinoy, sumayaw ka na lang ng ocho-ocho.
Welcome to the 1990s. We can only hope Marty McFly will show up in his DeLorean and whisk Pinoys Back to the Future.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
for all of these “clarity of mind” revelations, i’ve been wondering why people like you aren’t leading anybody else as a rallyist, or as politician, or anything that can be described as leading towards “preemptive actions”.
i’m not even sure if you guys are even on Philippine soil. but i think those’re the keywords that needs to be said : “preemptive actions”
i think every intelligentsia in this country and within their personal capacity, has the “noblesse oblige” of guiding,teaching, and steering the rest of the ignorant masses away from imminent danger, rather than shouting loudly. “HAHA! I told you so!” which rarely have retroactive effects.
Wasting your breath flymolo, the people that can lead and save P.I are either children or haven’t been born yet.
These people are just internet preachers and heroes, put them in the community they have 0 standing and effect on others.
Real patriots that will shed for their country definitely won’t be found gibbering and stroking their egos on this website,
It’s quite simple, really: the Filipinos who do know (the “intelligentsia” as you call them) are very aware that rallying in the streets does almost nothing. It’s already been proven multiple times in the past that it’s pointless in the Philippines to get out into the streets, because the same people are in power underneath the same system of things.
Only something BIG and EXTERNAL can change everything now.
Our Government, Congress & Judiciary are now blatantly fooling every Filipino with total disregards of people’s sentiment.
Are Filipinos really stupid or we simply do not care what future & legacy we left our children?
Our government controlled media had successfully brainwashed our people, spread lies and promoted an anti-intellect society.
“Government don’t want a population capable of critical thinking. They want obedient workers, people smart enough to run machines and dumb enough to passively accept their situation”. – George Carlin
http://getrealphilippines.com/2014/05/philippine-activism-fail-now-that-the-napoles-lists-are-out-what-now/
benign0, what you said would only ring true if there would not have been any list in the first place. The “what if” question does not apply. Not showing the list is no good either as it would create just as much confusion. It is better that the lists have been released and now that that’s out of the way, we move on. Releasing the list and doing the investigation that you asked for is apples and oranges. The real question is if there was ever ANY willingness by ANYONE to do a real investigation.
And calling me an idiot is NOT appreciated.
Well, see, that’s the thing I highlight here — moving on to where exactly? Another Senate inquiry?
Sorry if you took my broadbrushed idiocy call personally. I don’t know you, so I really wouldn’t have any basis for calling you as a person an idiot. There is a reason I called people who “made a lot of noise clamouring for the release to the public of all these Napoles Lists” idiots. If you thought that that reason was all about you, well, that’s not my problem.
benign0, I don’t know you either. But since I am of the humble opinion that it is better to have that list out of the way instead of wasting time speculating on it’s content I have no other understanding of your statement. Just because my opinion may differ from yours does not make me or anyone else who shares the same sentiment an idiot. If everyone who has a different position on a subject then yourself would be an idiot, then you would be one too in my eyes. Emphasis on “would”.
Pardon my ignorance, but what good does the investigation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee do?
If they find the individuals on the so called “List” guilty, do they send them to prison?
it’s all done supposedly “in aid of legislation”, that is, whatever they may find out in the hearings would help them formulate new laws that should make things better for all of us. technically speaking, of course.
Well at least one person, Benigno, knows how FUCKED the investigation /country really is. Having thieves investigate their own crimes is an exercise in futility that Filipino’s should be used to by now. It is only necessary to follow the events inside the country for maybe 7 years to know what the outcome will be from the ‘Blue-Ribbon’ committee that will no doubt be set-up…and that is …NOTHING!!!
The country is doomed, fucked beyond repair. Blow it up and starting all over could not be a worse suggestion.
The Napoles list is like a “panis na kanin na”…I’m tired of listening to it…
Those in the lists will surely investigate themselves; declare themselves: “not guilty”…continue their term….run for re-election, (or run for higher offices)…win another term (or higher office)…then, steal more Pork Barrel Fund…it is a revolving door scenario…like a wheel within a wheel…never ending nor begining…
What Now? Nothing, business as usual.
Thieves do not stop stealing unless someone actually stops them.
Philippines is a country with no law and order and no one is prepared to stop the thieves from stealing.
They will steal more and more the liberties will get bigger and bigger, and you lot will get poorer and poorer.
My stay in the philippines/asia is now completed, so a few concluding comments and observations below, as i return to london for the summer, before pastures and challenges anew in brazil/south america.
But, firstly, my thanks to Ilda, Benign0, and their colleagues for their intellect, insights and opinions, especially in a country where such qualities are not only rare, or fully appreciated, but where freedom of thought/ individual expression/creativity is almost actively discouraged, and where honesty is clearly not a core value, (and with IBM’s help, government monitoring is about to take on a whole new dimension, not to mention the despicable act by aquino’s back door bandits of illegally and surreptitiously introducing new aspects/powers under the cyber-bullying law).
Secondly, kudos to the thoughts and wisdom of commenters in the vein of johnny saint, who always sees issues with clarity, adds to the fount of knowledge, and injects objectivity with lucidity.
Regrettable that some others cannot emulate, or discuss/debate with logic, and simply display their naivete, stupidity, and ignorance, too often reducing any dialogue to the level of the playground, or simply irrelevant rants. Trolls and luddites!
Thirdly, a parting shot at the dysfunction which is the philippines. A country which consists of serial tragedies – natural and man-made – wrapped up as farces, packaged as entertainment/endorsement opportunities, or just an excuse to ask for more aid/create more scams. Beggars and buggers!
———-
The Philippines – monkey business in the banana republic.
The philippines – the land of hustlers, housemaids, and hookers, and 7,107 corrupt politicians. What fun!
Not forgetting fart face janet lim napoles (diarrhea personified), her devil spawn of spendthrift layabouts, and her hysterical rectum, which seems to need more care and attention than someone with extreme BPD ( borderline personality disorder), and before which the anally retentive pnoy aquino and her lapdog mar roxas obviously like to prostrate themselves. What bums!
The current circus surrounding the ‘napolists’ shows that when incompetence meets intrigue, and corruption over-rides conscience, then co-ordinated chaos and crafted confusion ensues, to the benefit of the perpertrators, as denials, amnesia, and indignation abound, as horse trading follows, and as political machinations/loyalties ensures that the big fish, the napoles villains, and senate president drilon, simply swim away to another cesspool. What bottom feeders!
And with endemic and systemic corruption by self-serving and hypocritical do nothing ‘politicians’ being the order of the day, then it is no wonder that freedom of information also continues to languish/be regularly derailed, and instead a veil of secrecy shields the nefarious activities, expenses, ghost employees, and incessant 5* trips abroad, of the crooks and criminals in senate/congress/government, aided and abetted by compliant mainstream ‘journalists’/TV hosts, who act more like PR agents as they collect their ‘brown envelopes’, rather than act as reputable or investigative reporters. What transparency?
Collective thought and ‘group think’ characterise the subservient masa, moulded by propaganda – now even in the school curriculum! -, entertained by tacky diversions, starstruck by 3rd rate ‘personalities’, manipulated by surveys/media, and selling their democratic rights/ principles for a couple of hundred pesos. What democracy!
Maybe filipinos do deserve what they get. (E.G. – anyone who voted for the buffoon, money launderer, womaniser, and political joke lito lapid are certainly candidates for purgatory, and reflective of the idiocy which continues to persist amongst the electorate)
Hubristic pride, wholesale narcissism, and vicarious co-dependence replaces any attempt at self-respect through personal achievement. What basketcases!
The West however has become tired of the begging bowl mentality, the philippines constantly playing the victim, and the endless scams, in what is the 28th largest economy in the world, but in terms of % gdp siphoned off, then one of the most corrupt governments.
A rich country pretending to be poor. A feudal country pretending to be democratic. A corrupt country pretending to be honest.
And on the 7th day God threw all the leftovers and rejects into the sea. The flotsam and jetsam became known by the spanish as ‘ the land of thieves’, or the philippines. What frauds!
Exclusivity remains the modus operandi of a plutocracy intent on plundering the national coffers at every opportunity, perpetuating a vicious and incestuous circle of patronage politics, but creating a downward spiral for the majority, and maintaining a subservient populace/culture, safe in the knowledge that impunity and immunity over-rides justice, that any public outrage is short-lived, and that their bare-faced hypocricy has no adverse personal repercussions, – financial, judicial, or political. What accountability?
Ultimately just political trash and has been actors awash with taxpayers cash and contract bribes. The triads and yazuka must be in their element. Only the russian mafia is missing -for now! What excrement!
A divided and very unequal society is the inevitable result, devoid of genuine democratic principles and practices. Dynasties supported by oligarchs ensuring that the philippines remains a ‘closed shop’ where only the criminal elite reap the spoils, and inclusive growth is but a meaningless slogan, governed by a crooks charter designed to maintain the status quo, and with weak institutions, dependent upon, and subservient to US, and without a national identity, independent foreign policy, or any signs of social re-engineering.
The foxes rule the hen house, and the patients run the asylum, with pnoy aquino clowning around as the head nutcase.
When political dinosaurs ruled the land – and in the philippines still do. What a disgrace!
The philippines made me sad, frustrated, disappointed, and angry. Sad at the inability of a country to develop human potential, and just rely on exporting talent and human trafficking (and therefore remittances) as the core of the economic strategy . Frustrated that filipinos so readily accept their serfdom. Disappointed at the lack of passion, innovation, and endeavour, and that the filipino dream is simply to become white and/or live in america. Angry at the hypocritical way in which people are exploited, with little hope of changing the system. Modern day slavery, outmoded feudalism. Telenovelas, videoke, and cockfighting. What progress?
Culture undoubtedly remains the biggest barrier to societal progress, which itself is consciously perpetuated by a system which wants no dissent, no competition, and no genuine change to the status quo, and where empty party slogans/motherhood statements only echo the lack of a political will, leadership, or even any real interest in the country as a whole, who busy themselves with telenovelas, videoke, and selfies. What class!
The challenges and barriers to change have been eloquently expressed in GRP articles, so my take on some of the key drivers to progress and prosperity ( political, economic,social) only necessitates headline bullet points, but if the masa genuinely want the opportunity to be educated, a decent paying job, and to live in a safe environment and a civilised society, then it is about time they stopped abdicating responsibility, living in the past, and get angry, and get real. What people power?
And sustainable results and long term benefits, be it economic or social, only accrue from a holistic and co-ordinated approach which integrates strategic, tactical, and operational plans/objectives across multiple sectors. What planning!
——–
Anti-dynasty – the major factor in change, but with 80% of neophyte congressmen from dynastic families ( and 70% overall), then the situation has not only got worse, but is past the tipping point, so reality dictates that nothing fundamental will change for the next 25+years. What a future!
Pork barrel – still exists, as does 1 trillion peso pork barrel for pnoy aquino which goes unaudited. This is financial dictatorship, and is a war chest for more bribery/2016 elections, and the continuation of patronage politics and dynastic control. What ‘daang matuwid’!
Anti-epal
Election spending rules/audits
Abolish Senate
ICT at Cabinet level
60/40 economic provision
ASEAN 2015
TPP membership
Anti trust
Land/house purchase for foreigners
FoI
Party list rules
Decriminalise libel
NGO’s full register ( 60,000 in philippines! – doing what?)
Computerisation – boc/bir
Company registration info
SALN publication plus ITR’s
Surveys – no more pre-cinditioning
Political donations
Sports commission
Media killings/human rights
KPI measurements
Election system/pcos machines
RH law
Party system
Incease % gdp expenditure on education
Technology in education
Infrastructure investment – power, water, internet, renewable energy
Mining and forestry laws – respect the environment
Less manila centric
Streamline justice system
Focus on meritocracy
Stop the brain drain – there are very few to start with!
Ditch the ‘island mentality’
Tax evasion – focus on big fish, not small fry, (especially some of the corporates who are being left alone by kim henares)
Toilets – 26 million pissing and sh!tting outdoors is unacceptable in this day and age.
Etc,etc…
About time the philippines stopped being whingers, uber sensitive, a global passenger, a regional joke, a dumping ground for chinese knock-offs, a US colony, and a barbaric society, and tries to contribute more to the world than housemaids, child sex slaves, and ridiculous guiness world records, and starts to grow some cojones. What sheep!
But above and beyond innumerable laws/rules etc which are so often ignored anyway, and the strategies/options which are available, the central issue is about having leaders/politicians with vision, intellect, integrity, conviction, achievements, charisma, and commitment. (and a populace who actually care about their future and that of their children, and not be so acquiescent and gullible).
As far as i can see good leaders/politicians simply do not exist, nor are they in the pipeline, ( so you consequently end up with senators like nancy binay, and bam aquino – not just ridiculous but insulting and indicative of the fact that the senate is an irrelevance made up of inconsequential parasites from dynasties), and the system ensures any potential champion of change is blackballed, squeezed out, or has an untimely end. So many of the crooked roads lead to the cojuangco-aquino clan – the first family of corruption and machiavellian deeds. What assassination!
The philippines is a classic example of how power corrupts, and where decency, integrity, intellect and innovation is totally absent, and has been replaced by greed, hypocricy, and duplicity. What role-models?
Pnoy aquino has shown himself to be incompetent, lazy, and weak, and by turning a blind eye to the corruption of his relatives and friends truly warrants his place as the worlds worst leader. He is clearly intellectually challenged, psychologically flawed, and socially inept, and a true disgrace to the country by perverting the foundations of democracy, ignoring the rule of law, serial lying and deceit, and obsessed with political persecution and selective prosecution, and outright criminal bribery. What a peasant!
Even worse, during the past 3 years, poverty and unemployment have increased, corruption has become rampant, and foreign direct investment remains a trickle as investors place the philippines at the bottom of the ASEAN league table. All the lies/propaganda from pnoy and malacanan does not hide the facts, and their abject failure. Up to 300 billion pesos a year are unaccounted for/siphoned off – that is a lot of schools/hospitals not built, or a lot of property abroad/offshore accounts of politicians. What choice?
Have fun with the pork barrel farce, (only the philippines could repeatedly turn tragedies into farces, from HK hostage crisis to yolanda) and the jockeying/campaigning for 2016 – even julia abad is going to be on the LP slate!! WTF!
Work is an anathema to the sons and daughters of the incestuous political clans with their inflated sense of entitlement and arrogance despite no achievements or contribution in life. What free-loaders!
The 4 whoresmen of the apocalypse – abad, drilon, aquino, and roxas, supported by the 4 mamasans – de lima, carpio-morales, tan, and henares, and special mention to the 4 witches of tarlac – the aquino sisters – (vaginal tightening would be wasted on slut to the politicians, kris aquino, but a mouth clamp would be a positive step.)
A cabal of iniquity – even the bars on burgos street possess more integrity and class. What trailer-trash!
Those who are not vigilant will be blind-sided by those who have their eye on money and power. ( or, in injustice leila de lima’s case, a senate seat ‘bought’ by tampering with evidence – another good reason to abolish it, before the likes of her, kris aquino, manny pacquaio et al reduce it to an even worse reality show than it already is). What idiots!
Bags packed and now only the worlds worst airport to navigate, and then en route to civilisation, culture, and haute cuisine.
Heston Blumenthal and The Fat Duck here i come. What joy!
From bums in politics to bums on Copacabana. Life can be either a bitch or a beach, so make wise decisions, and whether you see the glass as half full or half empty, the point is that there is always room for more wine. Cheers.
Bonne chance. Stay real!
@Libertas
Hey, is this goodbye?! Say it isn’t so. 😉
Yes. End of this week.
But you will travel with me – via your articles l on my rss feed, and i will be back!
@ Lib….AS long as people agreed with you? You may think your ‘all that…’ but I saw right through your ‘rentier’ ways,your PHONY self-righteous indignation…AND all coz you MAY have been lucky enough to escape the mess that is the Fail-ippines?
You may fooled others, but I saw right through you. Your hatred of Women, your backwards thinking and approval of the Keynesian economics that you think work, but are the bane of ‘We the people’ and reality.
Like a broken clock you were right once in a while and YOU DO correctly call some people that are idiots, idiots.But not knowing you personally, I can only suspect that while you point the finger at some politico’s in the country and not at ALL of them, that you still have three more fingers pointing back at you.
Calling your fellow countryen ‘trailer-trash’,HA…trailer’s would be a welcome step up for many Filipino’s….’but soufle en Filet wait for no Man’,LOL @ U.
So hey, go drink a few liter’s of wine in Paris, get in your Renault and drive REALLY FAST and RECKLESSLY down the Ave Phillipe Auguste!
N E idea where the rest of the crooked roads lead? Surely there are more than a few….you are good at pointing out what is wrong and calling people idiots…..but only Aquino’s make THAT list? Why is that? There are no other Oligarchic clans to throw mud at? Bing-Bong and company? A-Wrong-o’s and Son’s?OH,SSSHHHHHH????
Where ever your going in the 1st world libby: Get drunk and drive fast!
‘Stay real’ said the Man in the Polyester suit and the plastic surgeon’s face.
‘WHAT NOW?’
For those willing to speculate — invest in local hospitals. If the DOJ and/or the Ombudsman bring charges against these public officials, you can expect the lot of them to claim some kind of debilitating medical condition requiring specialised 24-7 medical care that isn’t readily available through the Bureau of Corrections.
Hospitals will need to build new patient ‘suites’ for them to stay in while under ‘hospital arrest’ and hotel rooms for their retinues and various hangers on. Here’s to the NEW WAVE of medical tourism. As Gogs says — ‘Proud to be Pinoy!’