A lot of people are telling me that the tipping point has finally come — that a critical mass of Filipinos are finally seeing Philippine President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III for who he really is: the president who should not have been elected. Readers who have followed and read Get Real Post and participated in its lively online discussions from the beginning, know that we’ve called it years before. President BS Aquino is not fit to lead the Filipino people.
I used to say with a wry smile that Filipinos deserve President BS Aquino. I can’t say, however, that Filipinos deserve to die because of him.
Bodies of massacred Special Action Force troopers arrive at Villamor Air Base.
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That, of course, is not to say that Filipinos don’t routinely die preventable deaths under the watch of previous presidents. Indeed, equally appalling tragedies have happened in the past under the watch of better presidents. Yet, no lessons have been learned. Rickety overloaded passenger ships still ply the waters in between the Philippines 7,000+ islands. Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos still live under the shadow of avalanches and flash floods waiting to happen. Manila’s squatter colonies are vast fire traps. Drivers of Philippine cities’ fleets of public buses and jeepneys are ill-trained, often drug-crazed homicidal maniacs. The list of killer stuff left unaddressed due to incompetence more than a lack of resources is long.
And to be fair, I have also long asserted that Philippine presidents really don’t matter to begin with — because much of what plagues the Philippines overall has more to do with the character of the Filipino than with the governance quality of any one ruling president.
So what then is so different about 44 Special Action Force (SAF) police officers massacred by the terrorist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)? After all, Aquino apologists assert, they are combatants who willingly put their lives on the line unlike the innocent civilian victims of state neglect.
But that is precisely why the deaths of the SAF 44 are special and why President BS Aquino is particularly accountable for this tragedy. BS Aquino is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the ultimate civilian boss of the Philippine National Police (PNP). The men and women of the armed services are under the direct control of the President. Their lives are at the president’s disposal.
So, really, whether President BS Aquino was aware or unaware of the circumstances of the deployment of SAF troops into “MILF territory” is beside the point. The fact staring him in the face is that, fairly or unfairly, he is seen to be responsible for the operation. It’s politics, not any sense of what is “fair”, that is at work here. BS Aquino should be familiar with this circumstance. It was this argument that he and his henchmen used to justify the underhanded and dishonest way they mounted the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.
Unfortunately for President BS Aquino, he is not a statesmen. Real statesmen are able to face bad PR situations head-on and come out winners. Aquino, on the other hand, squandered many opportunities to appease the public in the aftermath of the SAF 44 massacre. He waited several days after the news broke to face the cameras and address the public. When he did, he focused mainly on washing every bit of responsibility over the failure off his hands. He failed to condemn the elements of the MILF responsible for the atrocity. And the sheer lack of eloquence and pikon demeanour he exhibited over the brief period he spoke to Filipinos made even his admirers cringe.
And then he failed to show up at Villamor Air Base when the bodies of the fallen arrived, deciding instead to attend a relatively inconsequential event in Laguna that day.
We’d like to think the deaths of the 44 SAF troopers meant something — that their deaths will not have all been in vain. Sadly, we will have to face the truth that their deaths were utterly senseless. Nowadays, the MILF leadership happens to be in bed with the Philippine government thanks to President BS Aquino’s pet project, the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) being reviewed in Philippine Congress. In that sense, they were really not killed by the “enemy”, but by rogue “friendly fire”. They were killed by people they were not out to stop or were intending to fight.
For that matter, the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Filipino soldiers and police officers who fought these Islamic terrorists could be said to have all been in vain. The enemy was not beaten. Though they died serving their country as heroically as Jose Rizal did, they did not really change anything.
So President BS Aquino can hang out with the families of the dead for however long the media finds all that newsworthy. He can even hang as many medals and hand out as many plaques to grieving spouses as he wants. The fact is, when he gets back to his office, the president will likely continue to treat the MILF like the “partner” he says they are in this so-called “peace process” and work through his final year-and-a-bit as president to get his administration’s “legacy” squared away.
Meanwhile, 44 fine young fighting men are dead. In time, they will join their other dead comrades in the dustbin of history; casualties of the agendas of the crooks the people they serve routinely elect to be their leaders and representatives.
[Photo courtesy, @MisterBanatero on Twitter.]
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
Can real statesmen make mistakes? Can real statesmen have emotions? Can real statemen have flaws too scarring for prime-time telecasts?
I was one and still am one of those who vehemently decried Noynoy’s no-show at Villamor Air Base, but dear God! Can’t he show his grief in his own way? Can’t he have a personality? Or is he the people’s puppet, to be picked up and discarded as one sees fit, to assume all kinds of identities at all times, to act like a doll and only merely a doll before the hostile masses?
He is the President, but fuck it, he is also a man. Have mercy. Even as I am pissed off at him, this vitriol is still too much. He is fucking Noynoy, not fucking Claynoy, Showman for all Seasons.
Have mercy upon him.
“Can real statesmen have emotions?”
Correction: “Can real statesmen have emotions but not show them the same as everyone else?”
He signed up for the job. And he failed to step up. ONe could argue that he is being the man he was raised to be.
Don’t forget that he was once the toast of the Philippine electorate. I criticised him nonetheless — even when doing so was unpopular — because what I saw was wrong, even as it was popular.
BS Aquino is behaving the same way he did back in 2009 when he endeared himself to the public. You gotta give him credit for consistency at least. Unfortunately, that way of behaving no longer fits the changed circumstances. The yellow ribbon he wears on his chest which attracted the solidarity of a nation is now a symbol of divisive partisanism. The standard script of his speeches in which he brings up the nostalgia of the fervour roused by his father’s assassination now rings hollow from overuse.
Indeed, he is “also a man”. That has always been his excuse for failure. Tao lang po tayo. Funny that. After making himself out to be a god (thanks to his pal Conrado ‘Noynoy is Aragon’ de Quiros among others), he now appeals to the exact opposite of that to prop up his cherished popular appeal.
Yeah, I agree, he actually IS ‘fucking Claynoy’. He does not have a personality. The BS Aquino we know was a creation of his handlers.
What an idiot.
A “real statesman” would have had his ass at the Arrival (Ramp) Ceremony when the bodies came home!Do you even know what a “real statesman” is?
I allow people the privilege of breathing. Why can’t you?
In any military operation …the Commander has to accept responsibility, if he wastes his mens’ lives. If he is at fault…he goes to a “Court Martial” proceeding….if he is negligent and guilty. He faces prison sentence or face the Firing Squad…
Aquino is the Commander in Chief, who sent these soldiers/police to their death. and his negligence is GLARING.
Now, he cannot Blame GMA or Marcos, who is long dead for 30 years…I am watching, who will he blame other than the SAS Chief…Purisima, the crook is not blamed…Roxas is not blamed. Maybe, Binay or Erap Estrada are good targets…or maybe even BenignO, or Me, or You, the reader…
Sorry, politicians who cry at the drop of a hat and use speeches as an excuse for personal diatribes rather than connecting to the people are deserving of vitriol. Unfortunately that is literally the only kind of politician the Philippines breeds, when there are exceptions the system sends his airplane to the bottom of the bay of Quezon with him still inside.
I still think Jesse Robredo was assassinated. That’s how deadly it is to be a statesman in the Philippines.
Unfounded speculations like this can only serve to poison the discourse, and convince people who have already hanged Aquino for a tally of capital and petty crimes in their own minds, and are raring to do so in the real world.
John F. Kennedy took responsibility when a similar covert force lost their lives . I may not know John Kennedy but Noynoy is no John Kennedy. He is not even a Caroline Kennedy.
Given the number of showbiz functions and ‘high society’ parties he attends, you might say he aspires to be ‘Jackie Kennedy.’
Sorry he cant arrived cause his busy with his Car Inauguration in Laguna, really an insensitive fuck
I know a lot will disagree with me on this, fine, but we have to see all sides of the discussion.
This notion that people were right or people are now realizing that PNoy should not have been elected is just splitting hairs that is irrelevant now. This crying over spilled milk reaction do not help the discussion. For me, it’s a sign of lack of new and solid info and ideas.
Don’t get me wrong, the ‘should not have been’ theory is not exclusive to PNoy. It was a very strong issue against her mother, too. A very credible point against Erap and also a reliable barometer against Gloria. Mind you, we can also look outside and point to Clinton, George W and now Obama as recipient of such theory. But it’s a done deal already. All we can do now is look for the next election.
I know it’s human nature to gloat about events which have already happened and which cannot be changed but to keep repeating it is just going round in circles. And when we go that way, the tendency is to rehash previous statements and revisit old wounds. It is not productive.
The president, as commander in chief, exercises operational command and control over the AFP and PNP (military & police). But having said that, it would be misleading to assume that he is directly responsible for the deaths of personnel under that scheme. There is such a thing as ‘chain of command’ and that’s the process that we follow in our system of gov’t. If such process will eventually show the culpability of Pres. Aquino, so be it.
But are we really willing to overlook the important details of the crime – the perpetrators, the reason and alibi, the manner of the killings, etc. – for the sake of scoring political points against PNoy? Does it alleviate the suffering of the families of the deceased every time we cast blame on the leadership for the murders committed? I mean, are we not inviting future killings because the enemies think that we’re going to look at ourselves, our gov’t. to blame for it instead of running after them?
Me thinks there is time to focus on political points and there is time to pursue justice against those who committed this shameful and cowardly act. We, the country, owe it to those murdered law enforcement personnel to bring to justice the killers who up to now are free and maybe laughing at us seeing how confuse we are in seeing and arguing other things, instead of the evil, in the crime they committed. 🙁
As I mentioned in the article, fairly or unfairly BS Aquino is seen to be responsible.
The very thing that catapulted him to the presidency has now come back to bite. When he was running for president, he was seen to be fit to be president even if logic glaringly told us that he was not. But, as we now know, what was seen to be right prevailed.
So now what is winning is the perception that he is responsible for the massacre of the 44 SAF officers. That perception may be fair or not fair. What sets apart true statesmen from the mere administrators is the ability to manage public perception. They do that by being brilliant communicators and being at the right place at the right time saying the right words. As we have seen many times, BS Aquino is anything but. The fact that he’d cobble together the most bloated communications team of any recent administration was an ominous sign from the beginning, indeed.
Sure there comes a point when politics should make way for justice. But while BS Aquino is president, I find that difficult to uphold. That yellow ribbon pinned to his chest is a bit of a distraction.
I don’t know if the proper reaction to the killing of policemen was to use it immediately as a barometer of the competency of the president as a leader.
I just don’t see it that way.
My own view there is to focus on the crime committed and the details that will make up the real story why it happened. And when it’s done, we now focus on what action the president will take and how will he pursue such action into fruition.
Since we all know what is to be done, PNoy will be hard pressed to deliver because he knows everybody is looking at him to do the right thing. In the end, the outcome of the government’s response vis-a-vis the crime committed will be my measuring stick to judge if whether or not PNoy did according to what was expected of him.
jesus lord. that incident is just one of the MANY blunders PNOy committed under his watch. for crying out loud, lesser people than presidents had the dignity to step down when they know they can’t handle the job they signed up for.
it’s not like he’s in that position under duress or with a gun in his head.
the last thing we need right now are people patting him on the back for a job he performs way below mediocre levels.
and in parting, let me share what a grasshopper said in an animated film:
“first rule of leadership: everything is your fault”.
Well, like me, you are free to judge PNoy according to your standards. But unlike you, I’m open to possibilities because I don’t know everything.
If you think the other blunders of PNoy can be equated in the killing of the policemen, that’s your call. You have your own reason in rushing to conclusion I have my own reason to understand the situation and from there base my decision.
I only have one rule in sharing views and opinion and that is to try to be fair when weighing things and always be open to possibilities.
I don’t rely on perception nor emotion to express my opinion on issues. Of course, I’m just human and those factors seep in from time to time but I keep them under control as much as possible.
that’s the problem. we have been too open for possibilities as far as that guy is concerned.
Actually, the problem was some people see ‘PNoy’ written all over in the Mindanao massacre. They see “PNoy” on every thing that is wrong in the country. Some people just blame and point their finger on “that guy” and go from there. That’s fine by me but whenever we do that, we’re just putting ourselves in the box with no elbow room. I say, if that would be our mentality in looking at problems, then, everything we criticize people for on the wrong things they do, including PNoy, will be for naught.
Let me explain.
We keep on saying the president loves to blame other people. He blames this, he blames that. Blame, blame, blame! But we love to blame him also, no matter what. PDAF? Blame PNoy. Roxas? PNoy’s fault. Binay? PNoy to blame. Somebody farted, it’s PNoy. 🙂
We say that the voting public don’t know how to vote because they don’t think. We, on the other hand, is also guilty of not thinking for having the “that guy” label ready as answer to every thing.
As you can see, there is really no difference there. 🙁
wrong. reminding the general population they erred is a good way of putting things on track. maybe, just maybe the 85+K followers of this site at least gets what’s written here and act on their critical thinking and not contribute to the dumbing down of the rest of the populace who likes to believe their commander-in-chief is not accountable to what’s happening in this country.
and by the way, i’m heavily taxed for shabby service, so i’ll complain all i want.
What is wrong? The followers of this site? Tax?
You’re post is nonresponsive. Sorry, I’ll move on. ;(
so do i. this is getting nowhere. thank you.
And for you Jameboy, the President and his administration are NOT ACCOUNTABLE for anything AT ALL WHATSOEVER. To you, he is completely blameless about everything.
He’s already washing his hands. He doesn’t need you to wash it for him. Or maybe you’ll gladly wipe his ass for him given the opportunity.
Charlatans, the lot of you.
First of all, welcome back Jmac. I assume the wounds have completely healed so you’re ready for another round. 🙂
The president is not accountable? Well, obviously, you have not been reading my posts lately.
I cannot respond on a post backed up by ignorance and trolling. But I can tease you. 😉 Go back and rephrase your statement and don’t post out of anger. We’re all friends here.
Of course, except for PNoy. 🙂
Judging by how especially you remember me, it seems I made quite a mark on you. Wounds? You barely even scratched me and you hit like a pussy. Oh you missed me then? Just come out of the closet Jamegirl, no need to be ashamed of it.
Not been reading your posts? Why do you pretend to be anything else than an Aquino apologist? Stop pretending, you don’t fool anyone anymore.
Huwag ka na magkunwari Jamegirl. Niloloko mo lang sarili mo.
You know what is splitting hairs Jameboy? You making a veiled and lame attempt at being an apologist for the President and his administration while using the “pursuit of justice” and arguing about chain of command as a cover.
Just admit it and cut the bs.
That’s the statement I can respond to. Why? I correct, at least for me, wrong ideas, opinions, gossips, guesses and innuendos. And your post clearly falls on that category.
When alleging something the very basic thing to do is back it up. You do that not necessarily out of fairness – because most posters are incapable of it – but to simply protect your self from being called a troll.
I’m an apologist simply because I refuse to go with the flow? Because I refuse to sing the same song? I’m an apologist because I used my brain every time I post and not just be content to parrot what others are saying? Please. 🙁
Don’t tell me just because I do not agree with what you say against PNoy I’m already an apologist? That’s weak my friend. Not agreeing does not necessarily mean defending. It could also be, like I said correcting. Or sometimes not agreeing means exposing the weakness of your point and not necessarily the strength of the truth that is missing on such point.
How can a ‘pursuit of justice’ and ‘chain of command’, words that are very relevant on the issue, be a cover when those are the very same thing we all need to find out the truth? Who don’t want justice for those policemen who died? Who don’t want to know what really happened, the real reason behind the noises and alibis we’re hearing on all sides now?
Are we examining the case on the basis of the PNoy-Purisima connection? There are a lot of questions on that area. Why is it that Sec. Rojas was left in the dark about the unfortunate operation? The DILG secretary who happens to be the immediate superior of the PNP not knowing there is such an activity happening under his nose? Isn’t that very strange? If true, why did PNoy not share the info with his secretary?
Those are some of the details that can never be swept under the rug by simply doing the ‘It’s PNoy’s fault’ slogan. No, we have to weed out the garbage and the filth to find out the truth so we can pin the blame to those who deserve it, including the president.
Like I said there is a time for earning political cheap points and a time to focus on the reality before us. Stay focus, my friend. 🙂
So if not apologist, contrarian then. Plenty of those around the internet, and you certainly fit that archetype. These people are typical trolls and they always give out opinions that are contrary to everyone else’s just for the sake of it.
“How can a ‘pursuit of justice’ and ‘chain of command’, words that are very relevant on the issue, be a cover when those are the very same thing we all need to find out the truth?”
Chain of command precisely because those at the top ought to take responsibility for whatever happens to their subordinates. This basic concept eludes you, and the fact that you are using this to absolve Pnoy of responsibility makes you an apologist.
“Who don’t want justice for those policemen who died? Who don’t want to know what really happened, the real reason behind the noises and alibis we’re hearing on all sides now?”
Rhetorical questions. You’re implying those of us here do not want truth and justice. It’s slanderous and only serves to degrade your standing here even further.
“Are we examining the case on the basis of the PNoy-Purisima connection? There are a lot of questions on that area. Why is it that Sec. Rojas was left in the dark about the unfortunate operation? The DILG secretary who happens to be the immediate superior of the PNP not knowing there is such an activity happening under his nose? Isn’t that very strange? If true, why did PNoy not share the info with his secretary?”
Questions everbody is asking already. Your point?
“Those are some of the details that can never be swept under the rug by simply doing the ‘It’s PNoy’s fault’ slogan. No, we have to weed out the garbage and the filth to find out the truth so we can pin the blame to those who deserve it, including the president.”
So you’re saying people shouldn’t say ‘It’s Pnoy’s fault’ but then you make a tangent and say we can pin the blame on those who deserve it including the president?
Stop confusing yourself.
“Stay focus, my friend.”
Pretentious as always. I’m not your friend.
Okay, lets take first the issue of apologist and also the other overused words such as ‘Yellowtards’, ‘Noytards’, ‘tardstards’ etc.
For people like you, apologists are those who disagree with your mantra. If one sing a different song that you are singing, he is already an apologist. To me, that is a very bad and cowardly approach when you want to dispute the stand of another party. The old time rule you are conveniently forgetting is when you accuse you show proof. Disagreement does not necessarily mean one is your enemy already. That’s very basic in opinion writing. There are a lot of people like you here but do you recall me calling you morons or stupid because you are against PNoy? Unlike you, do you recall me calling anybody here a member of a group out to attack and insult PNoy based on my suspicion? So there.
Yes, I contradict views and opinion which I think are lame and weak and I explain why. I don’t just call names and label people because I do not agree with them. Again, that’s a low approach that only you and others are capable of doing. Why, want do you want to happen in this blog, posters will say the same thing over and over again? Really?
Take note: nobody, up to this time, just nobody have confrontred me about my stand or view on PNoy. Maybe out of fear or insecurity but nobody, from Toro, to you, even to retreating tomas, made an effort to confirm their suspicion if I’m for PNoy or not. You and the others here just assumed that I’m an apologist, tards-tards, etc. In fact, up to now, it is ZERO when it comes to somebody showing a post of mine indicating my obvious support of PNoy and confirming I’m an apologist, tards-tards, etc. for him. ZERO.
If you are zero in your accusation against me, what then do we have? Name-calling and trolling, plain and simple.
Lastly, calling one apologist, tards-tards, etc. as a response to a post giving opinion/view is not disputing and disproving such opinion/view. You’re just showing how short your temper is against opposing views. Relax.
Also, aren’t you glad and excited that having so-called apologists, tards-tards, etc. here is an opportunity for you guys to hammer and pin down those people and defeat whatever reason or alibis they have for protecting or defending PNoy? Isn’t that one of the opportunities in blog writing, to expose the weakness of the logic of the other party and highlight your own?
WHY DO YOU GUYS DON’T DO JUST THAT?
Since this is long already, the other issues to follow.
Chain of command precisely because those at the top ought to take responsibility for whatever happens to their subordinates. This basic concept eludes you, and the fact that you are using this to absolve Pnoy of responsibility makes you an apologist. – Jmac
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See? You talk about ‘chain of command’ but your eyes are focus on the top already? Why is that? Because at the top is PNoy! (Here I am again ‘defending’ PNoy) 🙂
Jmac, it is CHAIN of command and not TOP of command. Chain means a ‘series of ranks, position, etc. which has direct authority over anything below it. So, you follow the chain. You have to go to that process to squarely put the liability on those who are the direct authority that was guiding the personnel on the ground. Does that exclude PNoy then? Of course not! Again, that is why it is called ‘chain’. Everybody who has a hand on the order will have to face the consequence if found to have reneged on the mandate of the order. That’s means from the ground commander or whoever directs the operation in site to the superior auhtority of that commander up to the PNP to the secretary and the chain will stop on the office of the president. If that will be the case.
You’re implying those of us here do not want truth and justice. It’s slanderous and only serves to degrade your standing here even further. – Jmac
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I implied that you don’t want truth and justice or you just imagined that? Ask me how you understand my statement and why you doubt or oppose it. Don’t respond with your suspicion because your suspicion is YOURS not mine.
Questions everbody is asking already. Your point? – Jmac.
========
Everybody asked already? Who did, you? Ha-ha-ha!!!
Are you kidding me?!!! 🙂
“For people like you, apologists are those who disagree with your mantra. If one sing a different song that you are singing, he is already an apologist. To me, that is a very bad and cowardly approach when you want to dispute the stand of another party. The old time rule you are conveniently forgetting is when you accuse you show proof. Disagreement does not necessarily mean one is your enemy already. That’s very basic in opinion writing. There are a lot of people like you here but do you recall me calling you morons or stupid because you are against PNoy? Unlike you, do you recall me calling anybody here a member of a group out to attack and insult PNoy based on my suspicion? So there.”
The first sentence alone is false. That is not what I consider an apologist. That is what you think what I think, but what you think does not necessarily mean it’s true. Because your whole argument about you not being an apologist rests on that premise (1st sentence) that is false means your argument is questionable.
“Yes, I contradict views and opinion which I think are lame and weak and I explain why. I don’t just call names and label people because I do not agree with them. Again, that’s a low approach that only you and others are capable of doing. Why, want do you want to happen in this blog, posters will say the same thing over and over again? Really?”
And if I call you a contrarian, what then? That does not give your arguments any sort of validity. Besides you do neatly fit the archetype of a contrarian.
So your argument goes something like “People so mean, they call Jamegirl names! Therefore, Jamegirl’s arguments right!”
Go cry in the corner if you’re just going to gripe about namecalling.
“Take note: nobody, up to this time, just nobody have confrontred me about my stand or view on PNoy. Maybe out of fear or insecurity but nobody, from Toro, to you, even to retreating tomas, made an effort to confirm their suspicion if I’m for PNoy or not. You and the others here just assumed that I’m an apologist, tards-tards, etc. In fact, up to now, it is ZERO when it comes to somebody showing a post of mine indicating my obvious support of PNoy and confirming I’m an apologist, tards-tards, etc. for him. ZERO.
If you are zero in your accusation against me, what then do we have? Name-calling and trolling, plain and simple.”
And your drama continues…again go cry in the corner.
The fact you are defending Pnoy each and every instance of criticism against him, even in this case of the slain 44 SAF when it’s obvious that he’s clearly responsible makes you an APOLOGIST.
“Also, aren’t you glad and excited that having so-called apologists, tards-tards, etc. here is an opportunity for you guys to hammer and pin down those people and defeat whatever reason or alibis they have for protecting or defending PNoy? Isn’t that one of the opportunities in blog writing, to expose the weakness of the logic of the other party and highlight your own?
WHY DO YOU GUYS DON’T DO JUST THAT?”
So you admit then, that you’re an apologist?
Why don’t we just do that? We’re already doing it, because you’re the apologist and we’re hammering and pinning you down. Why do you deny being an apologist and contrarian when it’s plain and clear as day for all to see that you are.
Going ’round in circles ha, Jmac? Nice try pal. 🙂
And if I call you a contrarian, what then? – Jmac
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Contrarian as in a person who takes an opposing view, especially one who rejects the majority opinion? If that’s what you mean, I’ll go along with that. Fine with me. 🙂
But seriously, is it really important to call somebody names just because you don’t agree with what he is saying? Really?
Really? Your obsession is to find out what name (apologists, tards-tards, contrarian, etc.) to call me? Aren’t we here to share ideas/opinion and argue or debate if necessary the position we take on issues?
I mean, aren’t you cheapening this blog when you do that?
“Going ’round in circles ha, Jmac? Nice try pal.”
Lame response. You ran out of ideas?
“Contrarian as in a person who takes an opposing view, especially one who rejects the majority opinion? If that’s what you mean, I’ll go along with that. Fine with me.”
Takes an opposing view for no other purpose than to take an opposing view. In other words, a troll.
“But seriously, is it really important to call somebody names just because you don’t agree with what he is saying? Really?”
Important? No. I just stated an observation that you fit the contrarian archetype. Why be so defensive about it?
“Really? Your obsession is to find out what name (apologists, tards-tards, contrarian, etc.) to call me? Aren’t we here to share ideas/opinion and argue or debate if necessary the position we take on issues?”
Obsession? Please, don’t exaggerate. Magpakatotoo lang tayo dito. I’m just calling a spade, a spade. Tinawag kitang Pnoy apologist and contrarian, kasi ganoon ka nga. Huwag na patumpik-tumpik pa. Just admit it.
“I mean, aren’t you cheapening this blog when you do that?”
Now you’re concerned about this blog? You’ve been doing a horrible job being a troll so far, now you’re concerned about it? Ha.
Jmac, your logic and focus is going haywire. There’s no more issue in your post. I don’t expect you to believe me and I’m sure you’re going to do what is necessary kahit mamilosopo ka pa to avoid something uncomfortable.
Your previous posts are more decent and issue-oriented especially when no one’s challenging your statements. But once challenged, you lose focus and resort to heavy-handed kind of conversation.
You are practically just aping Toro, the blog bully.
Anyway, go back on the issue and forget about me. I’m just a tarsy-tards and a contrarian. I’m nothing. 🙂
“Anyway, go back on the issue and forget about me. I’m just a tarsy-tards and a contrarian. I’m nothing.”
I rest my case.
A President is the Commander in Chief…he knew the operation. Sending soldiers/Police to arrest a terrorist is idiocy.
With no support of firepower:artillery or airpower. On a Cornfield which is Plain and Level is the most stupid thing , I know…
I believe there was no Reconnaissance, before the operation. So, those Police/Soldiers were Clueless, of what they encountered…they were “Sitting Duck”, to the terrorists…Aquino is to blame on the operation…along with Roxas and Purisima..
Anyway, this was not the first time the MILF ambushed and murdered Soldiers…they did it before…and Aquino blamed the soldiers…
They call this: “TURKEY SHOT” (Sitting Ducks), during the U.S. Civil War Era…when the Union Northern Army were at war with the Southern Confederate Army…A Commander who would had been responsible for this situation , would had been executed by Firing Squad…
Looks like Noynoy pulled an Obama by being a no-show at an important gathering. Gotta emulate everything Uncle Sammy does, especially the wrong things.
If you’re referring to the EU/AFR Leaders Photo Op in Paris, yes. If you’re referring to being absent from “Ramp Ceremonies” (KIAs), wrong! President Obama, and those before him, will and have canceled or postponed scheduled events to attend these Ceremonies… You may want to check Google on this one!
i pity you Pilipinos, you put a shame to your motherland the Philippines. it only takes you days to oust a good man, Marcos, but you can’t unseat a bad and idiot ruler who’s been spinning you around for years. aren’t you ashame? giving mindanao to terrorist who’s harboring a bin laden alike in southeast asia.
Marcos was not a good president — he probably was for his cronies, the military, and for KBL supporters in general, but for the rest of the country he is not a good president. Or if he was, him becoming the very antithesis to a democracy belied his words and intentions.
I think Marcos was a good president who turned bad.
And I think your president is stupid because he suffers from melancholia.
your president halts the reenforcement to protect his army the milf. what kind of a ruler he is? he’s the commander in chief of these terrorist no doubt at all. he’s doing his fathers’ dream, a promised to rashid lucman, father and founder of bangsamoro, a separate nation for malaysian activism who ran to mindanao when they were being apprehended in malaysia by the government. they’re not even Pilipinos like you guys, and now your president is rushing for that promised land for the terrorist.
6 million came out to see the Pope.
No one comes out for the slain 44.
The 44 were sold down the river by their own.
Yes you are right they died in vain.
No one came out for the fallen 44? Do you watch the news, go online for local news, for you to not know the massive outpouring of grief for the slain men of the SAF?
If there’s any group of dead people that we’ve not “come out for”, it’s those sixteen MILF dead through Mamasapano, or so the MILF leadership. They’re all Pinoys, as Pinoy as those killed on the government’s side, but no one mourns for them apart from their families.
And now some of us want to raise hell on their comrades and their loved ones, because they saw fit to defend their territory from what they thought where intruders. And for what? A glorified pissing match, that is. Eye for eye, life for life, tit for tat, till one side is totally and irrevocably dead — personality, culture, opinion, culture — and all grievances wiped out before a hail of bullets.
True to form you went off the deep end and missed the point again.
Unless millions of people come out on the streets and demand justice for the 44 the government is going to wait until public outrage dials down to a whimper and then try to sweep it all under the carpet.
The victims and families deserve justice they have a right to know what happened.
All the milf terrorist/government officials involved no matter what rank and file, or how connected they are should be held accountable.
Cold blooded murderers have no place in a civilized society they should be locked up for life.
Unless millions of people come out on the streets and demand justice for the 44 the government is going to wait until public outrage dials down to a whimper and then try to sweep it all under the carpet.
The victims and families deserve justice they have a right to know what happened.
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And that’s the perception the gov’t. has to avoid. An unnecessary delay in securing justice will be adding insult to injury which the families of the slain policemen don’t deserve.
“Cold blooded murderers have no place in a civilized society they should be locked up for life.”
But what are the criteria for calling one side “heroes” and the other “cold-blooded murderers” — in a word, “villains”?
This past week, we’ve all looked at the bloodbath from the view of the fallen 44: that the SAF men who died or were wounded were doing their job, probably killing Marwan and doing their best holding out on vastly unfavorable terrain against superior firepower. But what about looking at it from the MILF’s/BIFF’s side? For all they know, they would’ve perceived the SAF men, fresh off accomplishing their mission, as invaders upon their territory, as abrogators of the ongoing peace talks, and as walking gun-toting symbols of a heavy-handed government that has only worked to suppress them, shoo them away from their families and their lands, and not seek to redress their grievances.
It may well be that there are culprits here, and that they deserve to pay for their actions — but unless the desire to wage war and to impose one single solitary idea above all else is too overpowering to consider other alternatives, we should try not to look at it too narrowly, and from as many perspectives as are possible.
“The victims and families deserve justice they have a right to know what happened.”
Just them? What about those MILF dead? Don’t they deserve to get a word from us as well? Or are all men of the MILF (or their sympathizers at any rate) terrorists or coddling terrorists?
Are we small enough to entertain such an easy-cuts-it dichotomy? “Good-versus-evil” agad-agad?
But what are the criteria for calling one side “heroes” and the other “cold-blooded murderers” — in a word, “villains”?
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The policemen were upholding and exercising their legal authority under the law at the time of the incident. The villains did not. They don’t even have license on those arms they used.
On a post conflict assessment, pinpointing weaknesses in planning and implementation will always involve the roles of those involved in the planning and implementation of military/police operations. And that will always involve the commander in chief. As such we must make distinction between the man, his office and his powers as commander in chief.
Planning wise, it seems it would have been much cheaper and more efficient to simply carpet bomb the area where the terrorist was located because the surrounding terrain was too difficult to secure. It doesn’t matter if the terrorist is caught dead or alive as long as purported intelligence is highly strong. And it would have given the planners enough space to prevent leakage of intelligence.
Implementation wise, if the deployment of elite SAF forces was preferred action, every step should have reviewed and cleared the commander in chief. Without the necessary review, the planners could have missed critical elements. In the case of the covert operation where bin laden was identified hiding, the actual assault was viewed live and monitored by the commander in chief.
Hence, the man who is the current commander in chief is perceived by the general public as lacking appreciation of his role.
The absence of the commander in chief for arrival honors for the fallen SAF personnel at Villamor Air Base reinforces this perception. Thus the alibi that the scheduled visit to Mitsubishi factory is just plain hogwash. The secretary if trade and industry (who was also there) could ably represent him and deliver the speech. Likewise, even the appointments secretary could also be perceived by the general public as too inexperienced, amateur or just plain dumb like the rest of the cabinet.
Before my father died, he said the worst thing about growing old was that other men stop seeing you as dangerous…I’ve always remember that how being dangerous was sacred, a badge of honor. You live your life by a code. An ethos, every man does. It’s your shoreline. It’s what guides you home and trust me, you’re always trying to get home.
Your father was a reader, Churchill of course, but also Faulkner and books about Tecumseh. He loved artists who painted people with bodies that looked like boxes. I’d give him hell about that. He’d just say you gotta look harder. Look harder, your father would say, I always knew he wasn’t just talking about those boxy abstract paintings.
There’s threats everywhere in a world that’s draped in camouflage. Your father’s grandfather gave up his life flying a B24 in World War II. He kept the liberator aloft just long enough for everyone to jump, and then he went down with the plane. That’s the blood coursing in your veins. Your father was my boss and I was his chief. What we knew about each other’s traits and our bond as operators. There’s a brotherhood between us and we depended on each other more than a family. Tecumseh said although a single twig may break, a bundle of twigs is strong.
Our platoon was headed downrange. We had Weimy, our sniper, he grew up in the middle of the Mojave desert, most excitement he had as a kid was bowling frozen turkeys down the aisle at the grocery store.
Ray, our comms guy, our radio man. He grew up in east LA gangland. He had a silver star for pulling a wounded teammate out of a freight.
Sonny, he was made of granite, this guy didn’t even do push ups because he was afraid his chest was gonna get too big.
Ajay joined the teams late in his 30’s. He had been a Muay Thai fighter all his life, before that he grew up dirt poor in Trinidad.
Mikey had 20 years in the teams, as humble as he was. You never even know him. He kept a picture of his wife in his helmet, and a lock of her hair in his pocket, quiet as the breeze.
And finally, senior chief Miller. Couldn’t really tell you much about him other than I’d rather take a knife to a gun fight than have to be interrogated by him.
That last night at home you think about how you coulda been a better dad, a better husband, that bedtime story you shoulda read or that anniversary you forgot. You don’t expect your family to understand what your doing, You just hope they accept it. When you get home, you hope you can pickup right where you left off.
War is a country of will, there’s no room for sympathy. If you’re not willing to give up everything…You’ve already lost.
Your father was a good man. Growing up without him is going be hard. It’s going to hurt. You’ll feel alone, out to sea with no shore in sight. You’ll wonder why me, why him. Remember you have warrior’s blood in your veins, the code that made your father who he was is the same code that’ll make you a man he would admire, respect. Put your pain in a box. Lock it down, like those people in the paintings your father liked. We are men made up of boxes, chambers of loss, triumph, of hurt and hope and love. No one is stronger or more dangerous than a man who can harness his emotions, his past. Use it as fuel, as ammunition, as ink to write the most important letter of YOUR life. Before your father died, he asked me to give you this poem by Tecumseh, I told him I’d fold it into a paper aeroplane, and in a way…I guess that’s what I’m doing, sailing it from him to you.
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.
First off, thank you for NOT using the idiotic “miss-ecounter” term! Can’t thank enough!
Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, who does not believe that the Commander and Chief should be in attendance during the Ramp Ceremony is either a complete “Noytard” and/or knows nothing about protocol. That SOB should have been right there on the tarmac giving his best Salute! Yet, some people would rather make up insane excuses to give Pnoy another pass. Worst yet, some people would rather ask stupid ass questions like “What about the 17 MILFs who were killed?” Really? You want to honor the terrorists who ambushed and killed 44 SAF Operators? That’s like asking for a tribute to the 911 hijackers who lost their lives flying commercial aircraft!
The President of the Philippines should have ordered the AFP to move in! He should have told the MILF to cease fire! He should have taken responsibility! He should have been at that Ceremony! Instead, he was at a Mitsubishi Plant laughing it up with that shit-eating-grin on his face! No amount of excuses or explanations can make this any better than what it was! A shameful display of complete disrespect for those under his command!
Wouldn’t it be unfair to the President to convict him of everything under the sun before the board of inquiry commences its investigation?
Wouldn’t it be presumptuous of you to tell him how to do his job as statesman? (This, from someone who was and still is one with the Twitter crowd in condemning the President’s no-show at Villamor?)
This attendance to the ceremony precedes anything else that is going on in the country. As the Commander in Chief, he failed to do his duty to honor the fallen with his presence. Not only does he sucks as a political authority, but also militarily to boot. That’s a double whammy right there. Even Dubya Bush wasn’t this thick in the head.
“Not only does he suck as a political authority, but also militarily to boot.”
Let’s not speculate about Noynoy’s military capabilities while the various investigative bodies due to collect information on Mamasapano are still busy forming themselves.
“This attendance to the ceremony precedes anything else that is going on in the country.”
I thought then and still think now that Noynoy should’ve gone to Villamor to play his symbolic role, and sent the DTI secretary or VP Binay to the Mitsubishi plant in his place. So in a sense, I agree with you. What I don’t agree with is the position taken here (implied or not) that the plant opening was unimportant overall — as a sign of foreign investment in this country and thus a visible triumph for the Aquino administration after wooing foreign manufacturers to set up shop here for quite a while now, what Noynoy chose to do what certainly not a piddling affair, though of course it was dwarfed by the arrival honors given to the fallen 44.
I’m not saying that Noynoy should be excused for what he ultimately chose to do, or that he couldn’t have sent someone in his place or asked for a slight delay on his arrival to the plant; it’s just that the president has a lot of things to do and a lot of things to consider, and try as he will to accomplish or do away with all of them, mistakes will occur and we should try and temper ourselves whenever the inevitable faux pas happens.
I think, rather than go ’round in circles, it’s better on the president’s side to apologize. There is nothing he can do in the overlook or ignored incident, defending on the fence you’re sitting, committed.
Yeah, he should. At the very least it would mollify those not already inclined to read into his speeches, his inflections and choices of emphasis, his schedule, his everything, and are committed to hang him for them.
(Unless of course doing so would cause people to accuse him of insincerity if not murder.)
I stand by my statement, most notably;
“He should have been at that Ceremony! Instead, he was at a Mitsubishi Plant laughing it up with that shit-eating-grin on his face! No amount of excuses or explanations can make this any better than what it was! A shameful display of complete disrespect for those under his command!”
Nuff said!
It’s the Aquino way. First the Japanese Army Imperialist Army. Then, the NPA. Now, the MILF/ISIS/Al Queda…
The Aquinos have the Genetic Predisposition to be Traitors…it is in their Genes…Wake Up, Philippines!!!
…you must not forget the general, general servillano aquino, general of emilio aguinaldo. who’s also charge of treason.
there you go. pilipinos don’t need a truth panel. this is kinda spinning around process, what they need is a fast action, unseat the president. he is the one who ordered the ‘stand down’ to the reinforcement troups. he’s protecting the milf and its armed wings. what a mission he has as a president, to give mindanao to terrorist. his dad’s dream, a promised to rashid lucman, the father and founder of bangsamoro organization.
do not underestimate pnoy. he’s ready to fight for milf over his dead body for that promised land his dad gave to rashid lucman, who did a fake passport when ninoy came back home and a father and founder of bangsamoro rebels. the two are considered blood brothers during their days at the manila chronicle and the manila times as journalist.
reminding the general population they erred is a good way of putting things on track. – tomas
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But who is doing the reminding? What is his credentials? What is he an expert of to remind others how to put things on track?
maybe the 85+K followers of this site at least gets what’s written here and act on their critical thinking – tomas
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There is no critical thinking when you are just parroting what the 85+K are saying.
on the contrary, 85k is a minority to what the greater population you seem to be part of are thinking.=)
Another unsupported gibberish. 🙁
Just like your comments, all unsupported gibberish.
This video suits you:
And another stupid comment by panot’s asslicker vincensus ignoramus.
oh, critical thinking.=) i lost you there on the nitpicking/trolling part.=) don’t worry, child i’ll help you learn.=) lol
anyone with half a brain can get what i said earlier, anyway. you’re resorting to half-baked attempts at argumentation nitpicking on the words the other used. like i said, it’s pointless arguing with you. my bad.=) by the way, the “polite” approach at trolling is lame. give my regards to your boss. i give him points for having idiots as defenders as well.=)
tomas, you have a history of getting mad and accused the party you disagree with instead of driving home your point with clear and convincing reason. Every conversation with you goes down the drain because you always take things personally. Notice how your post gets to reduce to one liners when your head starts to heat up?
Don’t be pikon and stop acting childish. It doesn’t go we’ll with your name. 🙂
you would too, if the otheer party pretends not to get your point.=) but anyway, nice of you to actually take notice and actually take the time to reply to a childish rant.=)
Children too, needs to learn.
tomas, critical thinking, remember? 🙂
The fact you are defending Pnoy….. – Jmac
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Show it wise guy 😉 (wink)
because you’re the apologist and we’re hammering and pinning you down. – Jmac
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Ah, you hammer and pin down an apologist by CALLING him an apologist.
I didn’t know you can hammer and pin down by simply name-calling. Must be a new science.
And “we’re” pinning you down ha? But where is the “we’re” in ZERO?
🙂 Jos ko, nasa’n na po ang tino sa usapang ito!
“Jos ko, nasa’n na po ang tino sa usapang ito!”
Oo nga eh no, basta ikaw kausap Jamegirl nawawala ang tino. Bakit hindi mo tanungin sarili mo Jamegirl? Base din sa mga paguusap mo sa iba dito, dapat magtaka ka na.
All out war na!! benign0 and his likers will lead the attack against the Moros!!!
This is for you, real life FRAUD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAKG-kbKeIo
😀
The fact you are defending Pnoy….. – Jmac
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Can anybody help the poor boy show proof of that statement? That’s not an invitation, that’s a challenge. (wink)
Ang laki ng ego mo ah. KSP talaga? So papahirapan mo pa mga tao mag copy paste ng mga comments mo dito just so you can save face? You’re asking people to do you a favor for your own self-interest?
Somebody is full of him…er…herself.
The fact you are defending Pnoy….. – Jmac
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Better do something about that statement than gripe all day long. 🙂
Who is griping? I’m not the one engaging in this whole petty exercise of telling people to do you a favor just to prove a point. Sino ba ang o-ey? Eh nagmumukha ka ngang o-ey diyan sa ginagawa mo.
As fictional Peter Parker said: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Whoever assumes the Presidential seat assumes the responsibility of our nation.
I think Philippine law is money not law.
Just came across this website and found this article funny. It basically says that the SAF troopers died in vain because the president will continue with the BBL as usual. But the writer fails to realize that the operation was meant to neutralize 2 international terrorists and not to further whatever agenda on the BBL. The logic used here is so twisted I’m surprised anyone is even buying it. Oh well. I guess you’ll see what you want to see even if it’s not real.
Nope. I made no assertion that the SAF were deployed to further the BBL nor did I build an argument around such an assertion.
“We’d like to think the deaths of the 44 SAF troopers meant something — that their deaths will not have all been in vain. Sadly, we will have to face the truth that their deaths were utterly senseless. Nowadays, the MILF leadership happens to be in bed with the Philippine government thanks to President BS Aquino’s pet project, the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) being reviewed in Philippine Congress. In that sense, they were really not killed by the “enemy”, but by rogue “friendly fire”. They were killed by people they were not out to stop or were intending to fight.”
wala na ako masabi dapat lang sana managot ang milf pero mukha wala naman gusto tumira sa milf dahil mukhang lahat takot hehe hay naku pilipinas hanggang kelan magpapakamatay sayo para manindigan kang tugisin ang mga pumatay na milf. takot ay sus gi. linaw na nga sila pumatay tapos la lang. tsk justice not served. instead blame sa kung ano ano issue at kung ano ano mga orders na lecheng yan. dapat ung pumatay muna. the souls of dead soldiers are crying for justice kahit minsan naman sana mabigyan sila ng justice. asan na ung magigiting na magagaling tumira bakit hide tirahin milf bakit hinde mapasuko. Peace talk? bullshit yan
hapit na unta to mo bilib ni jameboy pero 65 ghapon hahahaha
you nailed it jmac….. saludo
nakakagulat nakakalungkot makita pano pumatay etong mga terrorista. nakita ko sa video kung pano nila pinatay ung isang sundalo, grabeee! naisip ko pano kung kapatid ko etoh o di kaya anak ko o di kaya kamag anakan ko. pano kaya kugn sa kanila gawin un matutuwa kaya sa kanila walang awa nilang pinatay na parang hayop buhay pa binabaril pa sa mukha ibang level na mga toh ewan ko pano mo maiisipang mag peace talk para lang sa billion na nakakabit sa peace talk na un hinde ko maintindihan na sa ngalan ng pera eh kaya nyong matutulog na ang kapalit ng peace talk at ang kawalang hustisiya sa mga pinatay. kakaiba na talga level ng politika ngayon makulay para bang kaya nilang dalhin sa langit o impierno ang billion makukuha nila. mahiya hiya naman kayo uy! pera ng bayan yan ay o tinubo na pera natin sa swiss bank sus gi ay. un munagn hustisiya sa 44 soldiers na nagalay ng buhay para sa atin. sana naman po makunsensiya kayo o kung wala man lang kayong mga kunsensiya na eh sana wag kayong bangungutin. mahiya naman sana kayo sa sarili nyo na itago ang katotohanan at magbulag bulagan. hustisiya muna para sa mga nag alay ng buhay. saka na yan mga pinagpapasok nyong chain of command legal po yan kasi korte nagbigay ng warrant of arrest ni marwan kaya ang pagpasok nila dyan legal. kahit saan kahit sino pa nagtatago ng mga terrorista tulad ni marwan eh may kapatang pumasok police o miliatary dyan ano pinagsasabi nyo coordination. bullshit yan. terrorista po yan mga manong manang na nasa MILF ano ba kayo! sus mga gumagawa kayo ng batas eh ang aanga nyo gi ya naku pooooo barbaridad nakakagalet kayo ginagawa nyo kami tanga ah