Muslim civil groups appeal
for compassion as PAGE 2
  Vol. II No. 31 • ISSN 2094-4098 Jan. 10-16, 2011 • P15.00
The mystery of $30,600 in US Navy officer’s ‘suicide’
IS IT MURDER?By HERNZ CUARE
The same neutral and
reasonable mind says
T
there is a great possibil-
ity or probable cause that
HE $30,600 cool cash in the these policemen and the
PDEA officers involved
death of a United States Navy connived with each other
lieutenant commander—and to detain the Filipino-born
claims that will not happen American.
in normal human life—lead Dyaryo Magdalo sees
the great possibility that
Dyaryo Magdalo to see he was murdered these police officers and
and he did not commit suicide. anti-drug agents had the
Thus, Dyaryo Magdalo indicts all the police offi- motive of gain.
cers and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) There was a great pos-
agents involved in the claimed arrest and detention of sibility that they were mo-
US Navy Lt. Commander Scintar Buenviaje Mejia and tivated to gain because the
in the claimed initial test of the 0.03 grams of white US Navy officer was car-
powder claimed to have been found in the possession of rying $30,600 in a brown
this bemedalled military officer set to accept the promo- envelope. The fact that
tion to full commander conferred on him by the Con- he was carrying this big
gress of the US. amount of money equiva-
In an impartial mind of Dyaryo Magdalo, there is a lent to 1.5 million pesos
great possibility, or what is called by the prosecutors as was officially confirmed
“probable cause,” that the US Navy officer was mur- by the US Embassy in Ma-
dered. nila.
Where is justice, my son?
IMPERFECT SUICIDE, ARROGANT COVERUP
REALLY, heroes die in
mysterious ways. On
the face, it looks in vain
and pain. In the inside,
it is one big gain not
drain.
Often a hero’s death
is never resolved, nev-
er given justice, never
given closure. As if it
is the mystic that makes
magic. As if that issue is
designed to stay forever
so that heroic flame
would burn forever.
National Hero Jose
Ensign Phillip Andrew Pestaño Rizal’s trial has re-
THE
Rock PAGE
8
Dakak
AND
What added a proof to
the motive is the claim of
one airport policeman in a
televsision interview that
only $25,000 cash was
found in the possession of
the Fil-American. The dif-
ference of $5,600 is equiv-
alent to nearly 250,000
pesos.
Additionally, it was re-
ported that the alleged ar-
rest of Mejia occurred on
December 26, 2010. Po-
licemen in the Philippines
have been known to be no-
torious for bilking money
from citizens by means
of abusing the power of
arrest, much more during
Christmas.
Supporting the entire
proposition of the great
possiblity that the police-
men and agents were in
cahoots with each other to
mained a mystery why
he was convicted to die
on December 30, 1897
before a firing squad.
Was there injustice in
the hands of prosecu-
tors, his lawyer and his
judge?
National Hero An-
dres Bonifacio’s trial
has also remained a
mystery why he was
convicted of treason
when there was no
country that existed at
that time. Was there
conspiracy among Gen-
peace talks begin
extort is the fact that these
airport policemen claimed
that the American soldier
was found to be in posses-
sion of a sachet of pow-
der substance that they
claimed to be cocaine yet
it turned out to be not an
illegal drug.
In claiming it was co-
caine, these airport police-
men cited the “initial” test
done by PDEA agent, IO2
Edwin Reed.
Reed, who has been as-
signed at the Ninoy Aqui-
no International Airport
(NAIA), was said to have
found that the powder was
positive for “cocaine.”
However, PDEA later
announced that its con-
firmatory test showed
that the white powdery
substance weighing 0.03
grams was negative for co-
By TOTO CAUSING
eral Emilio Aguinaldo
and his ilk?
Modern National
Hero Ninoy Aquino’s
death at the tarmac
of then Manila Inter-
national Airport has
remained a mystery.
Who killed him? Who
ordered to shoot him
as he descended from
the stairs of a plane
from the United States
of America? His wife
Cory became the presi-
caine. This means that it
could be “tawas” or alum.
Moreover, it is always
easy to secure “tawas” to
be used to plant on a vic-
tim as purported evidence
of drug in order to compel
their victim to give money
instead of getting detanied
for a heinous crime being
dangled on the prey.
The fact that it is easy
to secure “tawas” makes
it very much possible that
the cops secured it to have
something to use easily
to compel the victim to
cough out money in ex-
change for freedom.
Further strengthening
the possibility of the crime
of conspiracy to commit
murder is the claim of
the policemen themselves
that the US Navy officer
passed the earlier stages
dent but justice eluded
them. His son Noynoy
is now the president but
justice remains elusive
as ever.
Well, this is another
story of a mysterious
death. Another story
of heroism so very rare
among the men and
women who marched
out of the Philippine
Military Academy
(PMA). The rarity is
like looking for a nee-
dle in a heap of soil.
Once upon a time
of the screening systems
in the airport. The airport
is normally maintaining a
K-9 dog for the purpose
of sniffing for bombs and
drugs. They also reported
that the said powder sub-
stance showed up only
during the last stage of
examination before board-
ing.
So, the question is:
How come that Mejia
passed the earlier searches
and failed in the last that
was supposed to be only a
repetition of the process?
This is improbable to
happen because it should
be that the first searches
or screening are as good as
the last.
When the alleged sa-
chet of white substance al-
legedly cropped up in the
To page 3
in September of 1995,
this 23-year-old Navy
ensign from the “Maal-
ab” Class (Batch 1993)
of the country’s only
school for leadership in
soldiery silently defied
his father’s wish for the
love of country even
though the son knew
death waited for him on
his ship.
As written by Fr.
James Reuter, this was
how the last conversa-
tion occurred for the
To page 7
 2               Vol. II No. 31
Muslim civil groups
appeal for compassion
as peace talks begin
L
ET there be
peace!
A big group
of civil soci-
ety among the
Muslim community in the
Philippines is appealing
for compassion and under-
standing from the entire
Filipino people in order to
usher in lasting peace and
mutual co-existence in a
multi-cultural society.
Maradeka, a big alli-
ance of pro-democracy
Bangsamoro people’s
organizations (POs) and
progressive sectors in the
Muslim community, is-
sued this appeal as they
look forward to the resolu-
tion of issues stalling the
resumption of the peace
talk between the govern-
ment and the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF).
A reliable source told
Dyaryo Magdalo that the
GRP-MILF peace talks
will resume in Kuala Lum-
pur, Malaysia this Febru-
ary 8.
Nash Pangadapun, sec-
retary general of Marade-
ka, said his group is ac-
tively campaigning for a
genuine national peace and
development anchored on
the Bangsamoro peoples’
right to self-determination
and the welfare of Muslim
communities in the Philip-
pines.
He added that the civil
Muslim society is now
actively involving their
selves in the peace nego-
tiation because it is them
and not the negotiators
who will eventually be
affected by whatever out-
come, be it war or a nego-
tiated peace.
“In asserting our posi-
tion, we believe that the
situation of recurrent Min-
danao wars is primarily
MARADEKA YOUTH- Members of the Maradeka Youth wing display a
placard calling for the release of not only Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) senior leader Edward Mohandis Guerra from military detention
but also all other Moro political detainees who are still languishing in
the different military detention centers in the country.
By JULMUNIR JANNARAL
rooted in the context of so-
cio-historical, political and
cultural injustices. It is not
simply an issue of violent
armed conflict and extrem-
ism or economic inequities
but it is the reclaim of the
people of their birthright
to freedom and legitimate
struggle for their right
to self-determination,”
Pangadapun emphasized.
He said that Maradeka
looks forward that the
statement of President Be-
nigno “Noynoy” Aquino
III putting emphasis on
transparency will attract
the Muslim civil society to
get involved.
With this ultimate goal
of peace in mind, he said
Maradeka submitted to
President Benigno Simeon
Cojuangco Aquino III a
10-point agenda suggest-
ing solutions to the issues
to pave the way for talks to
begin anew.
Pangadapun said the is-
sues nagging the resump-
tion of the talks are about
the Malaysian facilitator
disliked by the govern-
ment panel and about the
facilitation process.
He warned that the re-
cent uproars in Mindanao
are indicators of discon-
tent over slow pace of the
process, which discontent
would push hardliners to
urge the pullout of MILF
from the talks and revert
to its original position of
independence.
The 10-point agenda
was signed by 28 heads
and representatives of Ma-
nila Muslim community,
allied Bangsamoro civil
society, and human rights
groups from Mindanao
and elsewhere.
Those who joined
EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL REPORT
Maradeka on its “Ten
(10) Points Positions” are:
Bangsamoro Supreme
Council of Ulama; Task
Force Mindanao; Manila
Grand Mosque; Jamiatu
Mindanao Al Islamiyah;
Organization of Maguin-
danao and Iranun; Alter-
native Muslim Mindanao
Entrepreneurial Develop-
ment, Inc.; Basilan Soli-
darity; Ittihadu Shabab Al
Muslimeen;
Manila Peace Zone As-
sociation; Rajah Solaiman
Memorial Society; Salam
Progressive Party; Balik-
Islam Unity Congress;
Maradeka Bangsamoro
Women Group; Maradeka
Youth; National Aggrupa-
tion of Muslim Students;
Bangsa Iranun Muslim
People Organization;
Muslim-Christian Fel-
lowship Movement of the
Philippines; Davaonun
Muslim Community As-
sociation; Ranaw Peace
Advocates; Kalilintad
PDA League; and Bangsa
Iranun Women Advocates
for Peace.
Briefly, among
the salient features of the
10-Point Agenda are the
following:
“1. We strongly pro-
pose the adoption of the
Montesa Formula to the
Aquino government and as
well as the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF)
to finally break the diplo-
matic impasse over com-
plaint Philippine govern-
ment over the Malaysia
as Third Party Facilitator,
Malaysian Facilitator Da-
tuk Othman Razak, and
the facilitation process and
the insistence of the MILF
to retain the Malaysian fa-
cilitator.
“2. We demand from
the Aquino government
and Armed Forces of the
Philippines to stringently
observe the joint cessation
of hostilities agreement,
desist from all unneces-
sary provocations and in-
cendiary statements that
can seriously impede the
ongoing peace process
amidst the current impasse
and employ as necessary
proactive measures by:
(a) Reduction or downsiz-
ing of military presence in
the conflict zones; (b) Lift-
ing of the state of emer-
gency; (c) Repositioning
of government troops to
a significant level to pre-
vent tension detrimental
to cause derailment of the
peace process and there-
by the collapse of con-
fidence building and the
whole peace process; and
(d) Disband all the para-
military groups in conflict
zones, such as the Citizen
Army Force Geographical
Unit and the Civilian Vol-
unteer Organizations.
“3. We are pressing the
Aquino government to em-
ploy a parallel peace initia-
tive to both Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF)
and the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF)
by arriving at a formula of
convergence previously ad-
opted by the Organization
of the Islamic Conference
(OIC) and its Ministerial
Committee of Eight as vi-
able mechanic to approach
the twin dilemma with the
two competing Moro rebel
fronts.
“4. We put forward a
proposal that in the peace
exercise, the active partici-
pation of the Bangsamoro
masses must be guaran-
teed and represented by
its recognized and legiti-
mate civil society sector
and people organizations
in the peace negotiations.
In respect to early official
pronouncement of His
Excellency President Be-
nigno C. Aquino III during
his presidential inaugural
speech on transparency in
Mindanao peace process
by adopting a policy of in-
clusive peace in Mindanao
involving Moro, Lumad
and Christian settlers, we
demand for the institution
of workable mechanism
of representation by civil
society sector and people
organizations;
“5. We demand the
Aquino government to ful-
ly exercise its political will
and presidential preroga-
tives to bring to an end the
prevalence of political pa-
tronages that caused local
Jan. 10-16, 2011
MARADEKA PRESSCON - Convenors of Muslim civil society, Maradeka
hold a press conference recently at the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Ma-
nila urging President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III not to delay further
the resumption of the peace talks between the Government of the Re-
public of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) and also to release immediately all Moro political detainees who
are still under detention. Shown in the picture are Nash Pangadapun,
the secretary general of Maradeka (2nd from left) as he listens to the
statement of Ardan Sali, representative of the Cotabato City-based
Bangsa Moro Youth Leadership Forum (BMYLF), an allied civil society
of Maradeka; Datu Larry Cota, co-convenor of Maradeka (3rd from left)
and Prof. Yusuf Ledesma, chairman of Balik Islam Unity Congress (ex-
treme right). (Maradeka Photo)
politicians, businessmen, the senior MILF leader, ing the Autonomous Re-
landlords, political clans Edward Mohandis Guerra gion in Muslim Mindanao
and government officials and all the Moro political (ARMM) or a replacement
to obstruct peace in Mind- prisoners charged in rela- Bangsamoro self-govern-
anao. We recall that landed tion to political activities ing entity from manipula-
political leaders, business- and unconditionally drop tive political control by the
men, and warlords in Min- suits against all leaders of Imperial Manila through
danao specifically in North the MILF and MNLF offi- the ruling party machi-
Cotabato, South Cotabato cials and members before nation of any political
and Zamboanga provinces the peace negotiation com- protégés during electoral
caused irreparable dam- mences; exercises; (b) strengthen
ages by obstructing the “8. We demand from the regional political party
ongoing Mindanao peace the Aquino government system that accommodates
process during the occa- to honor and abide by in and guarantees participa-
sion of peace signing of letter and spirit the GRP- tion of civil society and
Memorandum of Agree- MNLF Final Peace Agree- people organizations and
ment on Ancestral Do- ment signed in September legally appropriate sub-
main (MOA-AD) in Kuala 2, 1996, otherwise known sidies in building their
Lumpur, Malaysia; as 1996 Jakarta Final regional political parties
“6. We demand in the Peace Accord specifically to eradicate clan con-
strongest term the secu- on provisions stipulat- trolled traditional politics
rity and protection of the ing the commitment of or political dynasties; and
civilians from harm and the government to respect (c) institute mechanism
destruction resulting from the Bangsamoro right to by creating government
the armed confrontation democratic representation agency that ensures to fa-
by the contending armed in all branches of the gov- cilitate, coordinate, capac-
forces of the government ernment ( i.e. executive itate, manage civil society
and the MILF, so that we and local government, leg- participation in building
propose a rather more ef- islative, and judiciary) and political parties and sus-
fective multi-lateral peace appoint qualified and com- tain effectively regional
keeping force mandated petent Muslim leaders and democratic development,
by the United Nations Se- professionals that have the participatory democratic
curity Council to thwart consent and truly repre- governance and building
forcefully violent armed sentatives of the Muslim up of regional political
conflicts and hostile ele- community; and party system;
ments and provide emer- “9. We demand from “10. We demand the
gency response, security the Aquino government Aquino government to ful-
and protection, humani- to recognize direct and ly exercise its political will
tarian aid, evacuation and broader participation of and presidential preroga-
shelters to non-combatant Muslim civil society or tives to bring to an end the
civilians instead of a lim- people organizations Min- prevalence of political pa-
ited mandate of an interna- danao self-governance and tronages that caused local
tional monitoring set up; thereupon effect a genu- politicians, businessmen,
“7. We demand from ine democratic develop- landlords, political clans
the Aquino government to ment and participatory and government officials
respect Moro civil and po- democratic governance in to obstruct peace in Min-
litical rights by releasing Mindanao by: (a) insulat- danao.”
 Jan. 10-16, 2011
last screening, the police-
men themselves claimed
that Lt. Cmdr. Mejia threw
it on them and he went
wild accusing the cops of
setting him up.
This actuation of a per-
son vehemently protesting
that he was carrying an il-
legal drug and vehemently
insisting he was framed up
is consistent with the natu-
ral quick reaction of an
innocent man. To the con-
trary, a drug user normally
submits quietly although
shocked.
Nevertheless, the cops
claimed they prevailed
upon the military officer
and they brought him to
a room where he was de-
tained while the powder
was subjected to an ini-
tiatory test being done by
Reed.
Mysteriously, why
Reed submitted a result
that the powder was posi-
tive for cocaine in his “ini-
tial” test, when the final
test by the PDEA would
show it was not cocaine?
This particular circum-
stance betrayed Reed’s
intention. This is because
it is highly improbable for
two standard tests to differ
from each other as to the
results.
So that this debunking
of Reed’s test gives a pre-
sumption that he manipu-
lated the initial test for the
purpose of extortion.
PDEA Director III
Wilkins M. Villanueva
confirmed that the sub-
stance recovered from
Mejia was not an illegal
substance, citing the labo-
ratory result prepared by
PDEA’s chemist Maria
Therese Anne L. Domingo
that the substance in ques-
tion turned out to have
negative findings of dan-
gerous drugs.
Further, it is improb-
able that a US Navy offi-
cer presumed to be highly-
trained than Philippine
policemen and dangerous
if he were indeed getting
wild at the start was es-
corted only by two secu-
rity guards to a comfort
room outside the cops’
office.
Even if he were in
handcuffs, he was still
dangerous. The fact that
he was so wild from the
start, why did airport po-
licemen did not ensure to
prevent him from going
wild again by having him
escorted by at least five
security or police officers?
As such, this presumes
that this is improbable to
MAGDIWANG
PUBLICATIONS
Publisher:
RONALDO E. RENTA
Editorial:
TOTO CAUSING
Editor-In-Chief
Design & Layout:
RONALDO B. HERICO
Disclaimer:  extorting money is a prac-
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are entirely their own and do not reflect the opinion of the
publisher, the management or the editor of this publication.
All Rights Reserved:
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nor translated in any language or form for commercial pur-
poses without prior written permission from the publisher
and its writers or columnists.
happen as a way of nor-
mal life for this connotes
that the policemen and the
agents are lying.
In analyzing the inci-
dent, Tom Martin from
Texas posts his comments
in the internet.
Martin asks:
“Why would two
trained security officers
allow a man who they
claim was irrational walk
ahead of them without
any physical contact with
him?” “When the security
officers found the comfort
room was occupied why
did they not take him to
another comfort room?”
“It is hard for me to
imagine there is only one
comfort room at the air-
port or security office.
They claim Mejia request-
ed to urinate outside.  I
realize it is common for
Filipino men to urinate
outside, but is that some-
thing an American, espe-
cially an American mili-
tary man would do when
he knows it is against the
law in every State in the
U.S. and against U.S. mili-
tary code?”
These are just talking
about only the pieces of
evidence gathered from
the policemen and the
agents.
Now, if the evidence
coming from the circum-
stances of Lt. Cmdr. Mejia
are to be added, the proof
is overwhelming that there
is a great possibility or
great probable cause that
there occurred the crime of
planting of drug evidence
or murder, punishable by a
life sentence.
First, why will the
Filipino-American bring
along with him a white
powder substance weigh-
ing 0.03 grams when it
was proven it was not an
illegal drug or it was not
cocaine? Why?
Second, even if it were
a cocaine, it is less risky
and cheaper for him to buy
the same in California.
Third, he was a be-
medalled officer in the US
Navy and these medals are
aplenty and substantive for
an officer like him to risk
these honors to cocaine
use.
He was awarded three
Navy-Marine Corps Com-
mendation Medals, a Na-
vy-Marine Corps Achieve-
ment Medal, an Air Force
Outstanding Unit Award
with two devices, Air
Force Longevity Service
Award, and an Air Force
Training Ribbon.
IS IT MURDER?
It cannot be imagined
how can one who has
earned so many honors in
a decade of service would
sully their name with one
plastic sachet of powder
that turned out to be not
cocaine?
And if the American
was very sure he was not
carrying any drug and the
fact that he is an extraor-
dinary soldier by reason of
his medals, it is more im-
probable for him to think
of committing suicide.
If he know he was in-
nocent, that was proven
by the fact that the powder
turned out negative for co-
caine or any illegal drug,
with more reason that an
honorable man like Mejia
would chose to prove his
innocense in court to keep
his name intact rather than
killing himself.
Fourth, actually, he
was slated to receive the
conferment of his rank as
full commander for it has
just been approved by the
Congress of the USA.
Fifth, he was reported
by the policemen them-
selves to be carrying two
passports, the ordinary one
and the diplomatic one. If
he invoked the diplomatic
protocol, nobody can pre-
vent him from leaving
even if there was this sub-
stance being a part of the
consulate of the US Em-
bassy in the Philippines.
Sixth, it is prohibited
to bring out of the coun-
try more than $10,000 and
yet Lt. Cmdr. Mejia was
bringing along $30,600 as
announced by the US Em-
bassy.
This means that the US
government authorized
him to carry more than
$10,000. But if the Navy
officer was required to
show or register his mon-
ey, it was one way for the
policemen to know he had
that much money.
Seventh, he is a Fili-
pino by blood and this fact
made the policemen think
they can easily cow him
into submission unlike
White or Black Ameri-
cans.
Eighth, the alleged
jumping to death of Mejia
was claimed to have oc-
curred minutes after he
identified himself as an of-
ficial of the US Navy and
after he requested Police
Center for Aviation Secu-
rity (PCAS) Deputy Com-
mander Manuel Pintado to
call the US Embassy and
send in some representa-
tives.
So that it is very much
probable that since US
Embassy officials were
fast coming, the fact of
murder must not be dis-
covered so that the alleged
jumping to death must be
staged as a coverup.
Ninth, Planting of
evidence, like prohibited
drugs, for the purpose of
tice of authorities in the
Philippines. And extortion
at the country’s premier
airport is the main com-
plaint of Overseas Filipino
Workers, especially during
peak season, like Christ-
mas.
That is why a memo-
randum was issued pro-
hibiting government per-
sonnel assigned at the
airport to greet passengers,
“Merry Christmas.”
The US$30,600 in the
pocket of Mejia is worth
a fortune to airport men
who are preying on vic-
tims for easy big bucks,
and this might have trig-
gered the planting of evi-
dence to unsuspecting US
serviceman. For what’s the
fuss that Mejia of bringing
with him a sachet of “ta-
was?” It was a clear case
of planting fake evidence
to extract money in a very
easy way.
What is more troubling
on this cocaine issue was
the outright conclusion of
Philippine Drug Enforce-
ment Agency Agent IO2
Edwin Reed who is as-
signed at the airport. Upon
seeing the sachet contain-
ing of white substance,
Reed immediately con-
firmed that it was cocaine.
Are government men fond
of working with each other
for the purpose of gaining
extra fortune aside from
the pay they received from
the government?
When Mejia asked
for a call to representa-
tives of the US Embassy
in Manila, did Deputy
Commander Pintado re-
ally trouble himself to
make a call? Or the call
was made only after Me-
jia jumped or pushed to
his instant death to cover
the would be US$30,600
extort try?
Mejia, allegedly, while
waiting for US represen-
tatives, asked that he be
allowed to answer to the
call of nature. Because the
comfort room at PCAS of-
fice was occupied, Mejia
was escorted by police-
men SPO2 Roberto D.
Figueras and SPO1 Mateo
Aguilas to the parking lot
to urinate.
Allegedly, in handcuff
and walking ahead of his
escorts, Mejia ran away
and jumped head first to
his death from the 10 feet
high second floor stairwell
of the airport.
This storytelling of
Figueras and Aguilas is
quite suspicious for they
are trained police officers.
They are trained to
pacify and secure a victim
or suspect in a crime.
Fall from ten feet cannot kill
Analyzing the circum-
stances as written above,
it is too improbable for
Lt. Commander Mejia to
have committed suicide by
means of jumping to death
from 10 feet high.
That is, even as he
was in handcuffs when
the jumping occurred,
presuming that he indeed
jumped from the second
floor of the airport.
Ten feet is lower than
a basketball ring that is
placed at an elevation of
12 feet from the floor of
the court.
Any fall from 10 feet
is too improbable to result
in the death of the jumper.
That is even if what hit
the pavement below is the
head.
No basketball player
has ever died because of
a fall after having been
tripped on the air while
attempting to dunk on the
ring. The most damage
that have occurred were
torn ligaments or broken
bones.
So that if it is too im-
probable for death to occur
by reason of a fall from 10
feet, it becomes all the
more clear that the Ameri-
can soldier did not commit
suicide: but that he was
murdered before the al-
leged jump.
So that in all probabili-
ties, he was already dead
before Mejia could take a
jump. where the American fell
American was killed inside
the holding room?
If it were too improb-
able for Lt. Cmdr. Mejia
to have killed himself by
means of jumping from 10
feet, the only conclusion
that can be inferred is that
he was killed inside the
PCAS holding room.
For he was reported
to have gone so unruly
over the sachet of powder
found in his possession, it
is too probable that Mejia
went wild inside the hold-
ing room that he may have
attempted to fight back
physically when he tried
to assert his innocence.
And this assertion of
innocence must have oc-
curred when airport law
enforcers tried to extort
from him.
It was very possible
for him to assert his in-
nocence mainly because
he was strong in his faith
that he did not carry any il-
legal drug and this can be
attested to by the fact that
the said powder turned out
to be negative of any ille-
gal substance.
So that it was also very
much possible that while
he was engaging airport
policemen in a physical
fight, his head might have
been banged on a concrete
wall that caused him to
pass out.
Another possibility is
that the envelope contain-
ing $30,600 must have
been taken away from
him and he fought to get
Amend the
constitution?...
From page 4
to charge other crimes
from the prosecutors or
fiscals.
To ensure rigid and
fair decision, the 23
jurors picked to serve
the Grand Jury for six
months shall be hidden
to the public so that they
cannot be influenced.
The second body
shall be the Trial Jury.
It shall have the
power to adjudge which
claims are true and
which are not. Com-
Vol. II No. 31
it back. It is possible that
in the process of wrestling
for the money they head of
the American was banged
on a concrete wall, acci-
dentally or otherwise.
Whatever occurred,
there is no other possi-
bility except that he was
killed in the holding room
and was taken outside
while he may have barely
passed out to be dropped
on the pavement on the
ground.
CCTV camera may be the key
It was not reported
whether there was a
closed-circuit television
camera inside the hold-
ing room or in the vicinity
and from where he fell.
However, if there was a
CCTV, it is the only thing
that can exonerate the air-
port cops and the PDEA
agent or conclusively
prove that he was indeed
murdered.
The problem, however,
is that it has not been an-
noucned whether there
was a CCTV camera in
those two locations inside
the NAIA old terminal
from the time Mejia was
arrested at 7:00 p.m. of
December 26 up to the
time he was reported to
have jumped to his death.
Unless a camera cover-
ing these areas comes out
to show that the Ameri-
can indeed jumped to his
death, the airport police-
men and PDEA agents in-
volved may be convicted
on circumstantial evidence
because the motive is
clear: money.
Whatever, all the piec-
es of evidence so far that
can be obtained as nar-
rated above are enough to
convict these airport cops
and PDEA agents on grave
misconduct for violating
their official functions.
US Navy steps in
to investigate
It has been reported
that aside from a separate
investigation conducted
by the Pasay City police,
the US Navy has already
sent its team of experts to
examine the body of Me-
jia and gather information
and documents pertaining
posed of 12 jurors and two
alternate jurors, the Trial
Jury shall be kept in secret
places until the usually-
one-week trial ends in case
the accused are influential
persons. After deciding
who are saying the truth,
the judge in their court
shall apply the law on the
jury’s decision. Although
at times, trial jury nullifies
the law if they felt it is an
injustice.
Fairness is assured in
these two juries because
3               
From page 1
to the death of Lt. Cmdr.
Mejia.
The investigation will
not last long if the footag-
es captured by the CCTV
cameras at the airport are
provided and reviewed
from the entry of Mejia
to the Airport, the time
of his arrest at 7:00pm on
December 26, up to his
alleged act running away
from his escorts and jump-
ing to death.
Background
Mejia arrived in the
Philippines on December
25, 2010 to witness the
Filipino traditional way of
celebrating Christmas.
His flight back to Los
Angeles, California on
Philippine Airlines flight
PR112 was on December
26, 2010.
It was also reported
that Mejia was confronted
by Aviation Security Spe-
cialist Jose Saul Villegas
due to a plastic sachet con-
taining white substance
which was detected by the
airport’s X-ray machine.
The report added that
Mejia went berserk while
shouting he was framed.
He was then arrested and
brought to the 1st PCAS
office for questioning.
In the morning of De-
cember 27, 2010, they said
that Mejia asked Pintado
to call the US Embassy in
Manila.
They added that Mejia
also asked that he be al-
lowed to answer the call
of nature, but because the
comfort room at PCAS
was occupied, he was es-
corted by SPO2 Roberto
D. Figueras and SPO1 Ma-
teo Aguilas to the parking
lot for him to urinate.
Around 5:00 a.m.,
they said that Mejia ran
away from his escorts and
jumped from the second
floor’s 10 feet stairwell of
the airport.
They added that Mejia
was taken immediately to
San Juan de Dios Medical
Center where he died at
6:45 a.m.
The US Embassy sent
an attaché, Joey McGee, to
coordinate with Philippine
investigators handling the
alleged suicide incident.
What a heck of a job,
men?
the members shall be
interviewed and cho-
sen from 150 people
raffled off from the vot-
ers’ list. The selection
process will determine
who among those picked
from the voters’ list have
sufficient capability to
discern what is true from
false and who are the
most neutral or who has
no interest.
In jury, for sure the
Filipinos, Muslims or
not, will have no worry.
 4               Vol. II No. 31
Amend the Constitution? Make jury trial as basic human right!
EVEN the best of prin-
cipled men cannot be
angels forever.
With this premise I
make, I echo a clarion
call crying for the need
to change the present
Constitution twenty-
three (23) years after it
was ratified on February
2, 1987. Leading the
charge for a big change
is former Supreme Court
Chief Justice Reynato S.
Puno.
But let me be clear.
Amendment is enough.
We don’t need to
dump the present Consti-
tution altogether if only
to make it tuned to needs
of the present and open
to the metamorphoses of
tomorrow.
Allowing total
change will only risk the
country’s future in the
hands of the unscrupu-
lous whose agenda are
always hidden if not hard
to detect.
The former Chief Jus-
tice was empathic about
the fact that the present
constitution is unrealistic
in setting the people free
in choosing their leaders,
pointing out the expen-
sive electoral process
that requires enormous
amount of sums to win.
He suggested a unicam-
eral system of lawmak-
ing.
Justice change:
Most important
The most important
change that must hap-
pen is in the justice sys-
tem. Strong justice sys-
tem will cause all other
aspects of governance
to fall in good order,
including the system
of elections, of making
laws, of implementing
laws, and of others.
No form of govern-
ment will ever succeed
if it has loose justice sys-
tem.
A communist sys-
REALITY speaks that
Philippine National Po-
lice Regional Director,
Chief Supt. LORETO
PINELI, is not tamed by
the one-strike policy of
PNP chief, Dir. Gen. Raul
Bacalzo.
Non-government or-
ganizatons (NGOs) are
convinced that jueteng
operation being run by
Tony S. and Jojo C. has
become well-entrenched
in Isabela because grease
money has reached the
hands of the mighty.
Tony and Jojo are
boasting that two mayors
of Isabela have no reason
to break the bones of il-
legal operations. Why,
oh, why?
Is it because jueteng
payola of Tony S. and
Jojo C. has made them
deaf and blind?
The NGOs claimed
that jueteng has already
intoxicated the Province
tem will never succeed if
the justice system is one
that cannot go against the
wishes of officials of the
usually one-party system
under communism. A par-
liamentary rule will never
succeed if the justice sys-
tem serves only the inter-
est of the ministers and
members of parliament.
A federal form of govern-
ment will never succeed if
the justice system cannot
stand against politicians
who happen to commit
crimes and corruption.
The present presiden-
tial form will still be the
same if we will not change
our 110-year-old fiscal-
judge system that has not
deterred the powerful
from continuing with their
wicked ways.
History of failures
History shows that
justice in our country will
only be dispensed with in
cases involving big men if
the President wills it.
The Ampatuans who
have been said to have
killed many in a decade of
rule in Maguindanao had
never been held for trial.
They got arrested only
after their protector was
compelled by outraging
disgust from all over the
world due to the massacre
of 33 journalists to decide
to handcuff them.
Nani Perez had not
been charged by the Om-
budsman before the San-
diganbayan for so many
years because of the wom-
an in the Palace. When the
Ombudsman did it during
the time of Merceditas
Gutierrez the case was
already ripe for dismissal
due to the right to speedy
disposition of cases.
Joc-joc Bolante who
was said to have stolen
more than a billion pesos
from fertilizer funds has
never been charged in
court, until now.
Comelec Commission-
Jerry’s Blogs
By JERRY S. YAP
of Isabela and that it is now
time for DG BACALZO to
teach life lessons to provin-
cial policemen who choose
to forget their call of duty.
DG Raul Bacalzo, sir,
it seems that gambling
lords of Isabela look at you
by the toes. Why not give
them a sampe kick?
The power of arrogance
and the abuse by ignorance
Yes, there are men like
Executive Secretary Paqui-
to Ochoa (ESPO, for short)
who fall drunk of power in
short shots.
Ochoa has been in power
for only seven months now
yet he has acted far more.
How much more he
could do if he is allowed
by PNoy to stay for more
years?
He is not only arrogant.
He is also ignorant.
He should know what
is disembarkment card and
er Virgilio Garcillano has
never been charged by the
Comelec for crimes of ma-
nipulating election results
in 2004.
Ex-general Carlos Gar-
cia is now laughing away
after he was said to have
stolen P303 million from
the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) by just
returning P135 million and
serving about five years in
jail.
The justice system be-
ing unfair to the poor is the
reason almost all convicts
you see in our peniten-
tiaries and jails are poor
people.
Strong justice system
assures peace,
provides better chances
for prosperity
With strong justice sys-
tem, we are far more as-
sured those who wrong are
brought to trial.
When full trust sets
in to the effect that ev-
erybody has no doubt
that no offender can es-
cape the long arm of the
law and that all laws are
faithfully observed and
implemented, small peo-
ple will begin to think
that their votes are not
rigged, their small invest-
ments in corporations are
not swindled, their small
businesses will not be run
over by big rivals, their
entries in public biddings
or private dealings are
given fair chances, their
applications to appointive
offices are adjudged on
the merits, their promo-
tions in offices are based
on performances, they
can sleep at night without
getting burglarized, and
many others.
what is Customs declara-
tion card.
ESPO should know
that these cards are hand-
ed by stewards or stew-
ardesses to passengers be-
fore they disembark from
the plane.
The disembarkment
card is to be surrendered
to the Bureau of Immigra-
tion as a proof that the pas-
senger has arrived at the
airport. The Customs dec-
laration card, on the other
hand, is to be shown and
surrendered to the examin-
ing Customs police officer
guarding the gate.
When he was ap-
proached by the Customs
police officer for his Cus-
toms declaration, he misin-
terpreted it as an uncourte-
ous act.
A standard operation
procedure (SOP) is to ex-
amine the card and the bag-
gage.
But in his case, ESPO
Privileged spits
By TOTO C. CAUSING
Strong justice system
debases foundations
of rebellions
The root of rebellion
is discrimination, borne
by the union of greed and
bias, and fertilized by lack
of justice.
Lack of justice is weak
justice system. Greed is
the natural desire for pow-
er, wealth and glory. Bias
is inherent in any man de-
veloped out of ignorance
or false teachings.
We have so many laws
whose purposes are for the
good of everybody. But
the weak justice system
allowed discrimination by
the rich and the influential
against the poor, and by
the Filipino Christians and
their leaders against broth-
ers who don’t worship like
them.
Agrarian reform pro-
grams are for the landless
willing to till the land. But
the weak justice system
permitted greed and bias
for landlords to keep hun-
dreds of hectares for plan-
tations and haciendas.
This bred a class rebel-
lion in the oppressed poor.
The people of Mindan-
ao, Sulu and Palawan have
been crying for recogni-
tion that they own these
islands by native title that
predated the coming of the
Spaniards.
They are crying for all
who died in the invasions
staged by the Spaniards
using natives from Luzon
and Visayas as soldiers.
They suffered thousands
more deaths in the hands
of Americans. They suf-
fered further deaths in the
hands of natives of Luzon
and Visayas who have
ruled Malacañang and har-
Payola in Isabela
was just asked to submit
the Customs card with-
out examing whatever he
brought into the country.
He misinterpreted the
favor given him by the
Customs policeman as an
insult.
After that incident, the
Customs police officer was
ordered out of his post.
If it is true that PNoy
will revamp his cabinet, the
President should ax ESPO
first, Carandang second,
De Lima third, and De Je-
sus fourth.
But it is better to chop
them all off the chopping
board!
The country will go to
naught if the affairs of the
state are left in their hands
of these people.
GOD bless us, Filipi-
nos! This is according to
our reader identifying him-
self as Lucas Pacascas hav-
ing email address “ispong-
klong@yahoo.com.”
Jan. 10-16, 2011
Court’s Temporary Re- United Kingdom, Aus-
straining Order (TRO). tralia and other parts
If only explained to all
Filipinos, the Christians
of Europe. These have
existed for centuries un-
will surely understand der the jury system and
that painful concessions not one power grab has
are indispensable for their occurred. Most impor-
brothers to agree to live tantly, these countries
bored discrimination out with them, love them, and are rich.
of bias to their religion and make them as their broth- To the other side, fail-
greed to take all the lands ers’ keepers. ures preoccupy countries
within their sovereignty, Whatever solutions that have no jury system.
like the sultanates of Sulu that may be arrived at, all In Latin America, many
and Mindanao, established gains can be amplified by a countries there experi-
long before Lapu-Lapu strong justice system. ence power grab, includ-
became the first to thwart If leftists and Moros ing Venezuela. On Janu-
foreign invasion. can trust a justice system ary 14, 2011, Tunisians
The Christians refuse for fairness and rigidity staged people power to
to honor the basic or fun- even if their opponents are oust their dictator. The
damental right of any rich or Christians and the Philippines has experi-
group of people who share judge is of a rich clan or enced power grabs, too.
common beliefs and ide- a Christian, or even if the The story of jury
als to establish their own opponent is the govern- system in the USA for
government. The Filipinos ment, they are likely to lay more than 240 years now
forgot they themselves down arms and file their conquered discrimina-
demanded the same from claims in court. tions, paving the way
Spain and the USA. With this, Muslims can for greater acceptance
Those deaths will al- file claims for reparations of the Blacks as Ameri-
ways be fresh in the minds for all the lands seized by cans and now electing
of every new Moro born the government and given its first Black President
today and tomorrow: it is to Christians from Luzon in the person of Barrack
too hard to take out anger and Visayas, claims for Obama.
from their minds. When payment for all lives lost Winston Churchill
these angers explode they to government actions, said the jury is the “su-
are given the name “rebel- demands due respect to Is- preme protection invent-
lion” or “terrorism” in the lam, and others. ed by the British people
case of Abu Sayyaf. The wounds are rooted for ordinary individuals
The government may so deep but a strong justice against the state.”
not be willing to let the system will slowly heal. Thomas Jefferson
Moros to separate for it said: “I consider Trial by
has already invested so What kind of justice system? Jury as the only anchor
much blood and honor. yet imagined by man, by
But it can rethink and offer But what justice system which a government can
an equivalent deal that will should be put in place? be held to the principles
finally give them the iden- I strongly recommend of its constitution.”
tity they want, a kind of the jury system all over
self-determination accept- the Philippines, including Kind of jury system
able that does not amount all Muslim areas where
to a separation as one new the Shar’iah courts may We propose a jury
nation. be peopled by jurors of system of two bodies—
The acceptability of Muslim residents to de- American style.
the offer was proven when cide on issues of what The first body shall
the MILF agreed to the happened and the judge to be the Grand Jury.
creation of Bangsamoro decide questions on what It shall have the
Juridical Entity (BJE) to and how the Shar’iah law power to have the fi-
share with the government should apply. nal say as to who shall
the management of all ar- My argument rests on be charged in court. It
eas within it. the fact of success of the shall take back the pow-
Sadly, that solution countries that have em- er charge the corrupt
contained in the Memo- braced this system and from the Ombudsman,
randum of Agreement on failures of the countries the power to charge for
Ancestral Domain (MOA- that rely on prosecutor- election crimes from the
AD) was shot down pre- judge system. Comelec, and the power
maturely by the Supreme Look at the USA, the To page 3
You can email Lucas at report to the counter. for hot oil was spilled to
this address, Mr. President. After a while, the mem- cover the nakedness of
ber approached the cashier. her hair without a simple
Arrogance of SSS Lucena To her surprise, she was head massage.
guards and cashier told to return to the line and Aside from that, she
get a new queue number. observed that the beauty
A cashier and security The guards told her it equipment were a mess,
guards at the SSS offices is the SSS branch policy dirty, really hard to spell.
in Lucena City might have to toe the line from the far- The beauty attendants
forgotten that their salaries thest. She was further told assiting her also lacked
are paid by SSS members she’s free to leave if she courtesy.
religiously paying their re- would not agree. Contrary to beauty
mittances. Just a reminder: SSS premises, instead of feel-
According to com- Lucena cashier and securi- ing relaxed, her beauty
plaints that reached us by ty guards, plant this seed of was disgusted by the
mail, the cashier at the truth that SSS MEMBERS beauty service of INDEX
Lucena City SSS branch are paying your salaries (beauty) Parlor on Divi-
is hard to approach and they are your rightful boss! soria’s Juan Luna St. in-
the security guards are ar- front of Jollibee.
rogant. Shy away from Index Juan Now, do you still
The complaint said Luna (in front of Jollibee) dream of relaxing by
that these persons act as if availing the beauty ser-
they are the bosses at that One of our bloggers vice of INDEX?
branch. went to INDEX to avail of Index may email me
The complaint contin- the beauty salon’s hot oil for their side.
ued that there was one un- service. Of course, to beau- ***
forgettable incident: when tify her hair for a beauty rest. For reactions, sug-
the queue number of an Instead of feeling re- gestions, complaints, text
SSS member was called, laxed, her blood ran high. 09278989991 or email
she failed to immediately It seems that a chemical jerryap888@yahoo.com.
 Jan. 10-16, 2011
Computerization of municipalities
RICOJUDGE Ech-
everri is really fast
and cunning
courting and making
in
his way up.
After conclud-
ing his controversial
win as president of
the Liga ng mga Ba-
rangay in Caloocan
City, Echeverri has
won the nod of Jolo
Revilla, son of Sena-
tor Bong Revilla, to
run as his running
mate in the Liga ng
Barangay national
election.
At first, the Re-
villa clan was un-
doubtful of letting
Jolo run because of
the thought that it
might only servere
the clan’s rift with
the Palace. But Ech-
everri has been in-
sistent.
Echeverri’s suc-
cessive calls eventu-
ally won Jolo’s nod
after assuring the
clan that President
Noynoy Aquino has
approved Jolo as
executive vice presi-
dent of Echeverri.
Yes, Echever-
ri has once more
proved his unmea-
sured influence,
stretching in the cor-
ridors of power.
***
It can never be
displaced that the
support of the Presi-
dent is essential for
GETTING in touch with
the past in relation to the
present, I say the Tau-
sugs of Sulu who form
the Nation of Bangsa
Sug are just like waves
that go to many changes
and the changes make
us realize that to some
extent we the are differ-
ent for we have a unique
history in this country.
This columnist has
no authority to speak
on behalf of other tribal
Muslim groups in the
Philippines although I
feel I have some rights
to make my observa-
tions known. So I limit
the discussions to my
own tribe, the Tausugs
of Sulu belonging to the
once sovereign Sultan-
ate of Sulu and North
Borneo (Sabah).
“Tausug” literally
means “man of the cur-
rent,” or “people of the
current” talking of them
as a group.
Their place is bet-
ter known amongst us
as “Lupah Sug”: some
writers put the alterna-
tive name “Sug” derived
from the Arabic term
“Souk,” which means
outdoor Arab market or
Arab market place.
The Sulu Archipela-
go per se consists of the
group of islands from
the success of nation-
al and local projects.
Without the support of
the President, a project
involving a foreign aid
is quite impossible to
attain.
The help of Presi-
dent Noynoy Aquino
was not personally
asked by League of
Municipalities Na-
tional President May-
or Strike Revilla of
Bacoor, Cavite for the
realization of his pet
project – computeriza-
tion of all municipali-
ties nationwide. But
the way I figured his
tone in talking about
the President, he was
longing for PNoy’s
support to turn his
dream to a reality.
Political colors
play a big role in the
unhealthy relation be-
tween PNoy and Re-
villa.
PNoy is a Liberal
party man while Revil-
la is a Kampi man, the
political party of the
former administration.
In laying his grand
plan of modernizing
the municipalities, Re-
villa said he is seeking
funding from the US-
AID or United States
Aid. His computer-
izaton project will cost
P50 million for Bacoor
alone.
As the country is
composed of 1,500
municipalities, P50
Jannarally
speaking
By JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL
Basilan and to Tawi-Tawi.
It is the home of a number
of tribes form the “nation”
called “Bangsa Sug.”
The people of the cur-
rent, according to many
historians, are staunch
warriors, superb sailors,
and skilled craftsmen.
Based on the recent
statistics, there are more
than a million Tausugs in
the archipelago, 500,000
in Sabah in Malaysia to
where they were forced
to migrate because of the
armed rebellion in the
1970s launched by Moro
National Liberation Front
headed by Chairman Nur
Misuari against well-
equipped Armed Forces
of the Philippines.
The sovereignty of
the Sultanate of Sulu and
North Borneo (Sabah),
now headed by Sultan
Fuad A. Kiram the 1st (the
35th De Jure Reigning
Sultan), once extended
from the Philippine prov-
inces of Basilan, Sulu,
Palawan, and Tawi-Tawi
to the eastern part of the
State of Sabah that was
illegally annexed by Ma-
laysia to its federation
in 1963 without inform-
ing the legal owner that
was—and is—the Sultan
of Sulu.
Historians noted that
that Sabah and Palawan
million times 1,500 is
P75 billion. This is the
fund needed to realize
the project nationwide.
This is a large sum
of money. It will not
come from the govern-
ment if Revilla wins
the sympathy of for-
eign financiers. This
money, according to
him, can be cut short if
softwares are already
installed in Bacoor.
Only computer
hardwares are needed
by other municipalities
for the softwares can
be downloaded from
Bacoor.
But this dream of
Revilla is yet a dream.
He divulged that he
is yet to submit to the
USAID his feasibility
study for this project,
although he has ver-
bally shared it to the
agency.
If only his rela-
tion with P-Noy is not
tainted with politics,
Revilla can easily ask
the Palace to push it
with the USAID.
In a lonely tone,
without voicing ill-
feelings, Revilla
opined that the Presi-
were gifts by the Sultan
of Brunei to the Sultan of
Sulu in 1658.
From the standpoint
of history, starting 1565,
Spain conquered most of
the lands making up the
modern-day Philippines,
including the group of
islands of Luzon and Vi-
sayas.
But take note, the
Spaniards were not suc-
cessful in their efforts to
subjugate the Muslims of
the South, including the
Tausugs of Sulu.
In his book, “The
Swish of the Kris: The
Story of the Moros,” pub-
lished in 1936, historian
Vic Hurley wrote: “They
proved too strong for the
Spanish conquistadores.
“In his defense of the
religion and customs of
Islam against the militant
priests of Spain, the Moro
set a new historical prece-
dent. He survived,” Hurley
added. “Sturdy and intact,
their religion still flourish-
es on the shores of Sulu.
The conquistadores came,
fought vainly, and retired.
The Moros remain.”
Peter Gordon Gowing,
an American author from
Massachusetts, U.S.A.
wrote the book “Muslim
Filipinos- Heritage and
Horizon” that was pub-
lished in 1979, where he
Hernz quarry
By HERNANI CUARE
dent is not supportive
of his leadership of the
League of Municipali-
ties.
He felt the indiffer-
ence of PNoy when the
latter never showed up
at the national conven-
tion of the league last
year.
Anyway, I hope
PNoy will not take
personally the colors
of the nation’s vari-
ous leaders and look at
these for the benefits of
the project needing his
push. This moderniza-
tion project for all mu-
nicipalities is one.
We are already liv-
ing in a modern world
where life is incom-
plete without comput-
ers. Knowing how
important it is for the
speedy delivery of ser-
vices, the municipali-
ties hunger for it.
Revilla contended
that computerization
can be utilized as a
tool to trim down if not
to totally end graft and
corruption.
But can it really be
a solution to the ram-
pant graft and corrup-
tion?
They came, they saw
they never conquered
said the people of Bangsa
Sug proudly declared: “We
were never conquered.”
If the Bangsa Sug was
not conquered, are we the
Tausugs can still be clas-
sified as Filipinos?
This question was an-
swered point-blank by
a Christian friend who
asked anonymity from
this columnist. He said
and I quote: “You are not
a Filipino.”
He emphasized that
only those people whose
territories were conquered
or subjugated by Spain in
the name of King Philip II
are classified as Filipinos.
That included, he said,
the Tagalogs and other
people in the north who
the Spaniards called “Fili-
pinos” in reference to a
slave name.
Significantly, he added
that the Tausugs and other
Moros never referred to
themselves as Filipinos.
The Unconquered Kingdom
Are we that indolent
and colonized?
This friend said the
answer is likewise a big
“NO.”
He said that the fact
that Spain was forced to
make treaties with the
Sultanates in Sulu and
parts of Mindanao dem-
A question occu-
pied my senses when
Revilla further claimed
that computerization is
effective against graft
and corruption for it
offers not only a built-
in transparency benefit
but also prompt deliv-
ery of services.
Hearing this con-
tention of Revilla, I
recollected many na-
tional agencies claim-
ing the same years ago.
These agencies – the
Department of Foreign
Affairs, Bureau of Im-
migration, Bureau of
Customs, etc. -- have
computerized their
operations. But until
now, graft and corrup-
tion is ruthless to their
veins.
These government
agencies claimed that
computerization will
definitely speed up
public transactions.
But reality proved
them wrong. Until
now, transacting busi-
ness with these agen-
cies is at snail pace.
Pile of documents
and queue of hot bod-
ies are observed in and
out of government of-
onstrated that there never
was a historical territory
called the Philippines and
certainly never one that
governed over the south.
In fact, the Royal
Hashemite Sultanate of
Sulu & North Borneo
(Sabah), a Kingdom since
1405 to this day, is better
known as “The Uncon-
quered Kingdom.”
However, the United
States gradually replaced
Spain as the dominant
power in the region
throughout the 19th cen-
tury.
Just like what Spain
did, the US also signed
treaties with the Sultanate
of Sulu and North Borneo
(Sabah).
His Majesty Sultan
Jamalul Kiram II signed
the “Kiram-Bates Treaty”
on August 20, 1899 that
recognized the Sultanate
as a sovereign nation and
placed the kingdom under
the US protectorate while
at the same time guaran-
teed its sovereignty as a
sovereign “Kingdom for
the Bangsa Sug.”
It is significant to note
that the US did not sign
treaties with the sovereign
Philippines.
It was sad enough that
then US President Theo-
dore Roosevelt unilater-
ally terminated the “Ki-
Vol. II No. 31
fices. No change.
Why?
Simple.
It is because com-
puters are operated by
men. Corrupt men have
unaccounted ways to
press and unpress the
keyboard keys. Com-
puters also have “de-
lete” and “overwrite”
commands. It has con-
figurations that change
the outcome of the
game: Look at the CF
cards used in the last
PCOS elections.
Anyway, let’s give
Revilla’s foresight a
benefit of the doubt.
Revilla says that
speedy processing of
documents, like may-
or’s permit, will defi-
nitely lure the public
to directly transact
business thru the
counter.
In this, I agree with
him. The transacting
public will evade fix-
ers and insiders if their
papers are processed in
minutes or hours. Not
days, or weeks, like
what is happening at
the DFA where public-
clients are queuing for
days standing as easy
preys under the hun-
gry eyes of fixers in all
corners.
Further, with re-
gard to speedy transac-
tion, do you know that
a simple request for
travel records at the
Bureau of Immigra-
ram-Bates Treaty” without
informing the Sultan of
Sulu.
Any legal luminary
would tell you that what
President Roosevelt did
was a willful disregard or
violation of treaties with-
out just cause and is being
frowned upon by the soci-
ety of nations.
Quoting former Su-
preme Court Associate
Justice Isagani A. Cruz,
an expert in International
Law, said this case is a
matter of pacta sunt ser-
vanda, which means that
treaties must be observed
in good faith despite hard-
ship on the contracting
state. Hence, as a general
rule, a party must comply
with the provisions of a
treaty and it cannot ig-
nore or modify the terms
without the consent of the
other signatory.
It can also be said that
the Sultan of Sulu in gen-
eral and the Bangsa Sug
in particular were further
betrayed by the USA:
without the required
plebiscite and consent of
the Bangsa Sug nation it
annexed the Sultanate of
Sulu to the Philippines in
1946, clearly breaching
the United Nations Char-
ter of 1945.
To sum it up, the Mo-
ros, to include the Bangsa
5               
tion will take three to
four days for clear-
ing alone?
All the requests
are centralized at the
office of Immigra-
tion Acting Com-
missioner Ronaldo
Ledesma.
Sometimes we
call this as “central-
ized collection.”
The same is true
with the DFA stick-
ers that pronounce:
“No Fixers allowed.”
The stickers at-
tract attention to the
walls of BI build-
ing. But beside each
stand one or two fix-
ers boldly lurking for
preys.
To top it all, most
of the fixers are BI
employees.
With regard to
transparency, Revilla
explained that all
municipal transac-
tions are to be posted
on the internet and
can be viewed by the
public.
The processing
of papers, from the
filing up to the last,
will be timed and the
consumed time will
be the basis to know
if there is any unholy
transaction along the
process.
I hope so, Mayor
Strike Revilla.
***
These are my
quarries, for now
Sug nation, have indeed
never been conquered.
I end this column
with what Gowing
wrote:
“…As a matter of
historical fact, they
were involuntarily in-
corporated to the Phil-
ippine nation. Armed
invaders---Spaniards,
Americans, Japanese,
and Christian Filipi-
nos---have always out-
gunned the Moros and
have generally paraded
across their territory
whenever they would.
But the invaders never
succeeded in breaking
the indomitable spirit of
the Moros. They never
subjugated the culture
of the Moros. They
never vanquished the
religion of the Moros.
Every day thou-
sands upon thousands
of Moros to include the
people from Bangsa
Sug nation in several
hundreds of mosques
and countless homes
fall on their knees and
touch their foreheads
in abject surrender to
Allah.”
***
For comments and
suggestions, e-mail the
author at jannaral69@
gmail.com or contact
him at +639167957154.
 6               Vol. II No. 31
Where is justice, my son?
From page 1
father, Felipe Pestaño,
and his son, Philip An-
drew Pestaño.
“Please, son, resign
your commission. Give
up your military career.
Don’t go back. We want
you alive. If you go
back to that ship, it will
be the end of you!”
“Kawawa ang bay-
an!” This, the young
man uttered the last on
the eve of his death he
knew was coming.
Yes, “Kawawa ang
bayan!” was the last
sentence uttered with
a burning passion by
the ensign, as if it was
the shortest version of
the “Mi Ultimo Adios”
poem that was spoken
of the soul of Rizal.
It was the same sub-
stance spoken by the
national hero when
he wrote that patriotic
goodbye on the eve of
his death he knew was
coming, which in origi-
nal Spanish language
reads:
“Adiós, Patria ado-
rada, región del sol
querida,
“Perla del mar de
oriente, nuestro perdido
Edén!
“A darte voy alegre
la triste mustia vida,
“Y fuera más bril-
lante, más fresca, más
florida,
“También por ti la
diera, la diera por tu
bien.”
In English, it was
translated by Edwin
Agustin Lozada as fol-
lows:
“Farewell, beloved
Country, treasured re-
gion of the sun,
“Pearl of the sea
of the Orient, our lost ness with the Philippine
Eden! Navy if they would not
“To you eagerly I stop.
surrender this sad and Carranza was the
gloomy life; commander or the Flag-
“And were it bright- Officer-In-Command
er, fresher, more florid, of the Navy at that
“Even then I’d give time. moonlighted as a close-
it to you, for your sake The parents never
alone.” stopped even after the
Looking a bit at the National Bureau of In-
last line of the first vestigation, the Western
stanza of the poem, he Police District, and oth-
was referring to the er investigating agen-
country when he wrote cies officially ruled that
“you.” That he offered it was a case of suicide.
his life to his country. His classmates at the
“To you, for your sake PMA wrote then Senate
alone. “ President Marcelo Fer-
Correlating to Phil-
ip’s circumstances, he
nan (formerly Supreme
Court Justice). T h i s
too was offering his
best life and career as a
led to a Senate inves-
tigation that produced
military officer for the Senate Report 8000. It
country alone. This found that Phillip was
is encapsulated in his murdered; debunking
words: “Kawawa ang the findings of the NBI,
bayan!” the Navy and the WPD
Thus, it is very clear that he committed sui-
that Ensign Phillip cide.
Pestaño died a hero’s This gave spirit to
way. the fighting parents.
But the Ombudsman
Never-ending search was never coming to
for justice their side.
Nevertheless, armed
So many accounts of with the Senate report,
various writers on the Felipe and Evelyn filed
issue are one in say- their complaint before
ing that since the offi- the Ombudsman. Noth-
cer died on September ing happened.
27, 1995, the father of One Enrique Ange-
Ensign Phillip and his les helped the Pestaño
mother, Evelyn, have couple to file a com-
never stopped searching plaint before the United
for justice insisting he Nations Committee on
died not by suicide but Human Rights.
that he was murdered. The UNCHR ad-
Published accounts opted its resolution of
said that the parents the issue on March 26,
never stopped press- 2010, finding out that
ing for justice even if Phillip was bludgeoned
Admiral Pio Carran- to death and he did not
za warned them they commit suicide. totoacusing@yahoo.com; cellphone, 09178834254; landline,: 0632-3109144.
would lose their busi- Despite this find-
Jan. 10-16, 2011
ing of the international believe it was suicide. It although Amoroso was Cruz.
body and the finding of reasoned out that there not a crew member of To the contrary, it
the Senate, the Office was no trace of blood BRP Bacolod City. was officially declared
of the Ombudsman dis- sprays on a white wall Lim said that Amoro- that Tagaytay had gone
missed the complaint or the bed. so became scarce since AWOL (absent without
for murder and grave The Senator Mar- the death of Pestaño and leave).
misconduct filed by celo Fernan report also he noticed that the Navy
Pestaño parents against noticed that there was was not interested in lo- Dyaryo Magdalo’s ruling
several Navy officers. no bone tissue or any cating him.
The Ombudsman human tissue that was “To date, as like At 8:10 in the morn-
ruled that there was found on the bed, the the others, (Amoroso) ing of September 27,
no sufficient evidence floor, or the wall. got off scot-free,” Lim 1995, his ship, BRP
to arrive at a fair and The report concluded fumed. “Was there an Bacolod, was to dock
reasonable resolution that Ensign Pestaño was intelligence officer who at the Headquarters of
that the crime of mur- killed somewhere else also boarded in Cavite?” the Philippine Navy on
der was committed and and brought inside his Lim protested heav- Roxas Boulevard after
that those accused were cabin. ily why Ensign Joselito a one and a half hour of
likely guilty thereof. “Absence of blood Colico was not even voyage from Sangley,
The decision was re- spatters, bone fragments charged administratively Cavite, which normally
leased August 2, 2010, or other human tissues is after admitting that he takes half an hour.
just after the Pestaño physical evidence more wiped the fingerprints Aboard were eight
parents filed an im- eloquent than a hundred on the .45 caliber pistol. officers and 42 enlisted
peachment complaint witnesses,” the senate “This tampered with evi- men. It was said that
against Ombudswoman report said. dence,” Lim protested. somebody noticed that
Merceditas Navarro Substantially similar Lim further revealed deck and cargo officer
Gutierrez. are the findings of the in his privilege speech Pestaño was not at his
Thus, it was said that UNCHR. that the ship command- post so that Ensign Col-
the dismissal of the case Astonishingly, the ers, Capt. Ricardo Or- ico was ordered by Lt.
was a retaliatory act by Ombudsman ruled the doñez and executive Cmdr. Ruben Roque to
her. other way. officer Lt. Cmdr. Ruben look for him.
With the manner the That is, despite the Roque, already left the It was reported that
parents of the victim fact that material pieces Navy. Obviously avoid- Colico knocked on the
have been fighting for, of evidence led Dyaryo ing any liability. cabin of Pestaño but no-
it is expected that they Magdalo to opine there Lim also said that body answered, compel-
would fight tooth and was clear probable cause Petty Officer 2 Zosimo ling the former to open
nail until the Supreme that the crime of mur- Villanueva, the one who the door with a master
Court to seek justice for der was committed and tipped Pestaño about the key and he found Phillip
their son. clear probable cause that shabu inside 20 sacks of dead.
Nevertheless, this is the those accused by the the rice aboard the ship, When seen, Phillip’s
so painful. After more Pestaño parents, and was reported to have body was lying perpen-
than a decade of look- those who were not in- been washed away in a dicular or across his bed
ing for vindication and cluded in the complaint sea tragedy a week after with his two feet resting
after seeing two chanc- affidavit, committed the Pestaño’s murder oc- on the floor.
es in the reports of the crime of murder that curred. A pistol without a
Senate and the UNCHR, they must be brought to Lim also said that En- magazine was found
they would only find the court for trial. sign Alvin Parone died between his feet. The
their desire stopped by On the part of then in an unsolved murder magazine clip was found
the Ombudsman. Senator Alfredo Lim, after he was scheduled beside the gun.
This must have he delivered a privilege to talk to Pestaño’s par- There were a few
prompted the father of speech saying: “Then ents. blood stains seen be-
Phillip to say: “Where who did?” Lim said that the ves- neath his head. Drops
is justice, my son?” Lim named one Lt sel’s radio operator, Pet- of blood were also seen
(jg) Carlito Amoroso ty Officer 3 Fidel Tagay- in the left corner of the
The background (PMA class ’94), who tay, vanished when bed, the corner nearest
summoned to testify. the door.
Prior to the death of in security for Admiral “Alam ko po marami On the floor area lo-
Ensign Pestaño, he was Carranza, as the most siyang alam kasi siya cated at the foot of the
reported to have dis- likely who did the act of ang duty operator, (“I bed in the said corner
covered that the cargo actually killing Pestaño. know sir he knew a lot were seen other drops of
that was being loaded “Strong evidence because he was duty op- blood.
to BRP Bacolod in- linked him (Amoroso) to erator”), Tagaytay’s wife There was no pooling
cluded logs illegally cut the crime as the possible Leonila wrote then De- of the blood that was no-
down and 50 sacks of gunman,” Lim declared, fense Secretary Avelino To page 7
flour that was said to be
shabu worth billions of
pesos. ESSAY WRITING TILT
The young idealist
disapproved the cargo. ON JURY SYSTEM
His superiors told him:
“Please! Be reasonable! FOR FILIPINOS
This is big business. It All persons, of all political and religious affiliations, rich or poor, professionals or
involves many impor- students, retirees or professionally active, are invited to the 2011 Jury Essay Contest
tant people. Approve sponsored and conducted by Hukuman ng Mamamayan Movement, Inc. (HMMI).
this cargo.” Berteni “Toto” Cataluña Causing, HMMI president, said the theme for the
He never signed the contest is “WILL JURY SYSTEM WORK FOR FILIPINOS?”
approval. The contest is being staged to commemorate the first anniversary of HMMI,
It was also reported founded on January 29, 2010 for the purpose of education all Filipinos about the
system of justice where the people themselves are exercising the power to judge
that his parents got
and leaving the judges and prosecutors with the work of implementing what they
two phone calls telling people have spoken.
them: “Get your son off Entries are expected to tackle concepts, benefits, viability, and capacity of the
that ship! He is going to jury system of justice and on how it can affect the Filipino society.
be killed!” Essays of at least 1,500 words should be creative in the presentation of how
Phillip was given a the jury system composed of two bodies can drastically reduce corruption and
pass to go home. It was other crimes, steeply increase obedience to the rule of law, dramatically reduce
thereafter that the last inequalities and discriminations, substantially provide solid platforms to convince
conversation with his the rebels to lay down arms and give peace a chance, rapidly form good habits
dad occurred. and culture as well as raise standards of ethics and morality among all government
As said above, his officials and professionals, among others.
dad incessantly begged It is required that participants must submit their entries by email bearing their
to him to resign from complete names, addresses, cellular phone or other contact numbers, email ad-
the military and never dresses. They may also submit by snail mail and address their pieces to Toto Caus-
to go back to the boat ing, HMMI, Ground Floor, National Press Club Bldg., No. 1 Magallanes Drive,
again. But he rejected Intramuros, Manila.
his father’s love in fa- The criteria shall be as follows: (1) content, 60%; (2) style 20%; (3) grammar
vor of the country. He & composition 10%; and (4) creativity, 10%.
insisted: “Kawawa ang There are two categories: English and Filipino, provided that those who have
submitted entries in one category can no longer submit for another.
bayan!”
Prizes for first 10 placers are yet to be announced. The deadline for submis-
sion is January 29, 2011, provided that with respect to entries submitted by mails
Findings contrary to should be postmarked with the date not later than the deadline date.
suicide For more details, contact Berteni “Toto” Cataluña Causing at his email address,
The Senate cannot
Jan. 10-16, 2011 Vol. II No. 31 7               

Where is justice,
r n e r
’ sC o
d e r
Rea

my son? From page 6

Zakat economy is timely -- Maradeka ticed under the head or

anywhere in the room.
If Ensign Pestaño
was indeed killed or re-
January 12, 2011
ally killed himself inside
his cabin, heavy pool of
JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL
blood should develop
Columnist
below his head. It is
Dyaryo Magdalo
because it is but natural
Intramuros, Manila
that when the person is
dead, the pressure acting
Dear Brother,
on the blood is dictated
by the law of gravity and
Assalamu Alaykum!
no longer by the pump of
the heart. So that blood
This is in reaction to your column “My second birth and Zakat Economy”
should drift out heavily
where from the point of view of Maradeka as a Muslim civil society, the topic
on the exit point and en-
on the Zakat Economy is very timely and serves as an eye opener for us Mus-
try point of the bullet in
lims to perform our religious obligation.
his head.
Now, both hands of
Indeed, the payment of Zakat which is akin to a religious obligatory tax
Phillip were stretched
can be a parallel program vis-à-vis the poverty alleviation program of the
out straight touching
government just like the cash allotment program for the poor. However, Zakat
both sides of his body
is being collected from the rich or affluent Muslims out of their wealth or
with the right hand’s
properties and distributed among the poor Muslims.
edge resting on the
middle just below his
Zakat is actually an inherent function especially of the Islamic government.
waist. It is what hap-
But of course here in the Philippines, the National Commission on Muslim
pens with the hands of a
Filipinos (NCMF) headed by Secretary Bai Omera Dianalan-Lucman should
cadet when he stands in
be in the lead role of encouraging affluent Muslims to share an amount of
attention while his right
their wealth and properties to the poor by regularly paying the annual Zakat.
hand is placed hang-
ing in front of his body.
In so doing, the NCMF can help alleviate the plight of the poor Muslims
This alone is inconsis-
and lessen poverty as well.
tent with the normally
outstretched hands away
Likewise, the NCMF by exercising its mandate that takes care of the wel-
from the body after a
fare of the Muslim Filipinos should also encourage Muslims in the business
victim has shot himself
sector to put up Zakat institutional fund mechanism in accordance not only
in the head or on his
with their religious duties and obligations but as a humanitarian or a chari-
temple.
table act for the benefit of their poor brethren.
Now, another unex-
plainable circumstance
Sincerely,
is the place where the
spent shell was found.
(SGD.) NASH PANGADAPUN
The empty shell was
Secretary General, MARADEKA
found on the bed, at the
Manila, Philippines
right side of the body of
Pestaño. The shell was
lying about three feet
Fearless but fair Dyaryo Magdalo perpendicular from the
right side of his waist.
Now, what was be-
ing tried to be impressed
January 14, 2011
was that Ensign Pestaño
JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL
was sitting first on the
Columnist, Dyaryo Magdalo
edge of his bed with his
back directed across the
Dear Brother in Islam,
bed.
And if he is right-
Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Taala Wa Barakat Tuhu!
handed, as he is, and he
would shoot his right
This has reference to your column that you discussed regarding the Zakat
temple while he would
Economy in Dyaryo Magdalo where Zakat is the major economic means for
be facing away from the
establishing social responsibility and leading the Muslim society to prosperity
bed, the chamber hole
and security.
of the pistol must be
facing in the direction
At the outset, I would like to congratulate you for discussing the topic on
away from the bed, too.
Zakat, which is the 3rd pillar among the Five Pillars of Islam.
This is because the hole
where the empty shell
Most of all, I would like also extend the greetings of Islam to the manage-
throws off after a live
ment of Dyaryo Magdalo headed by its editor-in-chief, Atty. Toto Causing for
bullet is fired is always
coming out with the “Jannarally Speaking” column that touches among oth-
in the right side of any
ers about the teachings of Islam.
pistol.
Such that if the right
As our fellow Mindanaoan and fellow alumnus, Atty. Causing who is also
side of the gun is facing
one of the alumni of the College of Engineering of the Mindanao State Univer-
away from the bed, it is
sity System here in Marawi City deserves the highest commendation among
impossible for the spent
MSUans for coming out with this fearless but fair Dyaryo Magdalo weekly
shell to fly to the bed. It
news magazine.
should fly away from the
bed and land on the floor.
With my best wishes and we hope that your weekly news magazine will be
With the downward tra-
circulated too in this part of Muslim Mindanao, where we believe that what
jectory of the bullet as it
the daily broadsheet won’t dare to publish your small but mighty paper is al-
traveled Pestaño’s head,
ways ready to print it for the sake of fair play, truth, and justice for all whether
it is improbable that he
Muslims or non-Muslims alike.
would hold the gun with
the bottom of the grip di-
More power to your publication.
rected to the ceiling.
Another circum-
stance that makes sui-
Very truly yours,
cide claim impossible
to happen is the location
(SGD.) ALEEM SAID AHMAD BASHER
where the pistol and the
Alumnus, Al Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt &
magazine were allegedly
Chairman, Imam Council of the Philippines
found.
Marawi City
The gun was reported
to have been found lying
with its right side touch-
ing the floor. Now, the
magazine was not found
inside the gun. The
magazine was located
just about three inches
away from the pistol’s
edge farthest from the
bed.
The first question
here is this: Was it possi-
ble for the magazine clip
to remove itself from the
gun after the pistol is
fired?
No way!
The second question
is: Why was it that there
was no more live bullet
inside the magazine?
The third question is:
Was it possible for the
pistol to drop between
the feet of the suicide
victim after the gun is
fired?
Highly improbable!
Under that posi-
tion, while it would be
possible for the gun to
loosen out of the hand
of the suicide victim
while sitting and pull-
ing the trigger, the only
thing that would happen
should be that the gun
recoil back to fall to the
bed as it would slightly
be pulled towards the
bed by the hand of the
suicide victim while the
victim would be falling
on the bed.
Now, there was no
blood tissue, or bone tis-
sue, or flesh tissue that
was found. This is con-
trary to the natural law
or physics that as the
bullet exits in the other
end of the head it will
bring along some blood
and some flesh to be
sprayed on the wall. The
wall was clean white
and there was no single
droplet of flesh tissue or
blood that was found.
If the bullet was
tested for presence of a
human tissue, Dyaryo
Magdalo bets its reputa-
tion that nothing can be
found therein. Instead,
it is the opinion of this
weekly paper that the
said bullet found in the
cabin was a simula-
tion shot and did not hit
any part of the body of
Pestaño.
Now, Dyaryo Mag-
dalo again bets its name
that this bullet was fired
by pressing the muzzle
of the pistol on a thick
pillow, the reason why
very fine strands of fiber
was found clinging to
the nose of the bullet.
And if the bullet
would be subjected to
DNA test, it will surely
show that it will not give
a trace of blood or flesh
in it.
These circumstances
are very clear to de-
clare without reasonable
doubt that murder was
committed.
Another thing, the
handwriting in the al-
leged suicide note is
clearly different from
the records of handwrit-
ings of Ensign Pestaño.
First, this is just a
question of probabil-
One more thing is ity and not one conclu-
that: Why is it that fo- sion beyond reasonable
rensic result shows that doubt.
the trajectory of the Second, the law re-
bullet from the right quires only sufficient
temple to the left ear is probability to justify fil-
downward, while the de- ing of a case in court and
formed spot on the steel to hold the accused for
door jamb caused by a trial.
bullet is located horizon- Third, the motive
tally in the same level of could be proven by the
the head of Pestaño if he fact that Carranza threat-
were sitting? Remember ened the parents to drop
that the temple is always their bid at justice.
higher than the ear when Fourth, it can be es-
the head is in an upright tablished from the books
position. of the ship that there
Is it possible for a were logs that were load-
person resolved in kill- ed and discharged even
ing himself to tilt his though the 20 sacks of
head to the right so that shabu disguised as flour
the bullet would enter cannot be found. And
the right temple and exit if these books were lost,
just beneath the ear? this fact adds up to the
Or, is it possible for proof that the officers of
a person to raise the gun the boat were guilty for
with the muzzle lower no one could have the
than the level of the fir- access to steal the books
ing pin? without the knowledge
Now, another puzzle. of the captain or his as-
Why Pestaño had sistants.
injuries on his left ear Fifth, the call to the
where the bullet exited? parents can add up to the
Still another: Why is evidence to establish that
it that none of the hands the motive of the kill-
of Pestaño had no gun ing was connected to the
powder when subjected cargo.
to paraffin test? Sixth, these circum-
Also, why was there stances if proven are
no powder burns on the enough to prove beyond
entry point of the bullet? reasonable doubt that
And the clincher that those who controlled the
solved the jigsaw puzzle ship are guilty.
to know where Pestaño The degree of proof
was killed: Why is it that when it is considered be-
there is a bullet hole in yond reasonable doubt
the most bottom layer
of a three-drawer study
should only be enough to
say that the judge in con-
table placed in the adja- science is convinced.
cent cabin? Seventh, the admis-
Pestaño’s cabin sion of Ensign Colico
shared one toilet with was enough to convict
the adjacent cabin and him of at least obstruc-
there is a door for ev- tion of justice and for
ery side of the toilet for being accessory to the
each cabin. This means crime.
that one can go from one And when Colico is
cabin to another by pass- pressed, he will likely
ing through the toilet. squeal who ordered him
So that when Pestaño to wipe the gun clean of
was found inside his cab- fingerprints.
in, his body must have So that these circum-
been dragged thereto stances are enough to
from the adjacent cabin prove that the Office of
through the toilet. the Ombudsman, par-
As to the question of ticularly Overall Depu-
whether there was prob- ty Ombudsman Orlando
ability that those ac- Casimiro and Gutierrez,
cused by Pestaño’s par- evaded their positive
ents were likely the ones duty, enough ground for
who are guilty, Dyaryo impeachment for the
Magdalo answers in the culpable violation of
positive. the Constitution.
AFFIDAVIT OF SELF-ADJUDICATION (EXTRAJU-
DICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF SUSANA
ANDRES COLLADO) – Being the sole heir of Susana
Andres Collado of No. 2 Mt. Everest St., Filinvest I,
Batasan Hills, Quezon City, CASIMIRA ANDRES COL-
LADO PASCUAL adjudicated unto herself the personal
property of the Estate of SUSANA ANDRES COLLADO
consisting in all the amount deposited in the Foreign
Currency Deposit at Metrobank under Bank Account
No. 032-2-03200261-1. Notarized under the notarial
registry of Notary Public Dervin V. Castro as the Notary
Public for Manila, specifically Document No. 294, Page
No. 155, Book No. 2, whose acknowledgment is regis-
tered under the same notarial book as Document No.
295, Page No. 155, Book No. 2, all dated December
31, 2010. (This is the publication for this issue of Janu-
ary 10, 2011, Monday, the second day of issue of this
weekly newsmagazine.)
 8               Vol. II No. 31
was blessed to have time and money to go for a three-day vacation
I in the world-famous Dakak Beach Resort in the historic City of
Dapitan in the province of the faraway Zamboanga del Norte.
Dapitan is the place where the last romance happened for Jose Rizal,
our national hero. He fell in love with a pretty girl from Brussels named
Josephine Bracken, who, he fondly called “Dulce Estranjero.”
Despite the lack of
the blessing of the Span-
ish-controlled Catholic
Church in Dapitan because
the Greatest Pepe on Earth
refused to abandon his
ideals and principles, the
“Sweet Stranger” who re-
turned to Dapitan despite
having left the serene and
green town for Hong Kong
agreed to live in with him
in the estate bought by
Rizal after winning a lot-
tery prize of P20,000 that
he shared with two Span-
ish officials who brought
him there in 1894 for the
four-year exile.
My hero and Josephine
pursued their love for each
other by celebrating their
own marriage ceremonies
upon their own terms and
prayers. They did this by
kneeling side by side atop
a big rock.
This rock, as big as
a modern military tank,
formed the most substan-
tive design of the pool
made by Rizal beside the
beach front of his estate.
This pool draws water
from the dam made by
him about 50 meters up
in the direction toward the
mountain. Beside the dam,
Rizal lined up brick pipes
he made to deliver drink-
ing water to his home and
to the nearby community.
Today, the pipe, though
broken at the top, is still
there present; it is covered
by an inch-thick concrete
put around it by men igno-
rant of the beauty of his-
tory instead of keeping the
appearance of a brick pipe
by replacing them with an-
other of the same diameter.
That’s how amazing
my hero is. He was also
expert in masonry works.
In fact, pasted on a wall
in the mausoleum is a pic-
ture of a wooden mold for
making of brick blocks, an
idea he taught to the origi-
nal Dapitanons.
That dam of water and
the brick pipeline lay be-
side the house of the hero
that is made of wooden
floors, two wooden stairs
located on both sides par-
allel to the brick pipe, el-
THE
Rock
Dakak
AND
evated balconies located
on three sides of the house.
Ten meters away in
front of Rizal’s house
stands tall the tree planted
by Rizal when he estab-
lished foothold in this
place. Now, the diameter
at the bottom of this tree
can be circumscribed by
four men with all their
arms spread wide and
holding each other. Its
height is nearly a hundred
feet to the topmost leaf.
About 20 meters away
from the other side of the
pipeline are located two
nipa-wood structures that
served as the operating
rooms of Dr. Jose Rizal. It
was in one of that rooms
that he operated on the
eyes of his mother.
From that operating
houses, going to the direc-
tion parallel to the pipeline
and the streams supplied
by that dam is located
“casa cuadrada,” the boys
dormitory of the students
of Rizal. I asked the old-
est man I saw in Dapitan
whether there still were
By TOTO CAUSING
The writer infront of the nipa
house where our National Hero
Jose P. Rizal once lived,
in Dapitan.
left alive from among his students and he
said all of them are dead now. Probably,
these disciples of Rizal were born in the
late 1880s.
The inside of the house of Rizal is found
one room with an old style bed of rattan
flooring and Narra posts, each of them six-
foot high and carved all over with old de-
signs. On the headboard stands his portrait.
These are the prominent sights that
linger to my mind about Rizal’s history in
Dapitan where he spent some of the best
years of his life.
I toured the estate of Rizal after my
itineraries at Dakak, where I was invited
to deliver a speech on behalf of the presi-
dent of National Press Club, Jerry S. Yap.
Humbly aside, I was cheered and so praised
by the audience composed of more than a
hundred publishers and journalists from all
provinces and cities of the country. We were
there for the event dubbed “15th National
Press Congress,” organized and staged by
Publishers Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (PAPI).
If I were to describe Dakak, I love to say
it is a paradise hidden by two landmasses
placed 200 meters apart of each other and
extending half a kilometer to the sea from
its shores. The trapped beach inside is of
white sand, although not so white as Bo-
racay’s, and the shallow water extend far
outward to make bathing and swimming a
perfect experience.
From the beach tip at low tide, the land
gradually rises until it takes
a drastic rise to host a thick
forest of centuries-old trees.
In some little clearings are
located log-cabin-type cot-
tages serving as five-star
rooms for visitors. Outside
all these sleeping quarters
and the concrete pathways
are green fine grasses that
make the place a completely
beautiful garden facing the
white-beach.
In the middle, right
above the beach front, is lo-
cated the restaurant and bar
and the lobby area of Dakak
Beach Resort.
During important nights
when visitors are aplenty,
the beach serves as a din-
ing area while diners watch
cultural songs and dances
performed by fine sing-
ers and dancers. They sang
Cebuano songs and original
natives’ hymns whose lyrics
only them can understand
but the souls are enough to
make the date romantic.
Just beside the restau-
rant, parallel to the beach, is
located the first swimming
pool deep enough for chil-
dren. Going deeper into the
Jan. 10-16, 2011
direction of the forest is the convention
hall that stands beside another swim-
ming pool that is heart-shaped.
The owner of the Eden enclave,
Romeo “Nonong” Jalosjos, spoke to
the press congress participants prid-
ing Dakak as his personal lifetime
achievement. He said he exudes con-
fidence that Dapitan’s treasure as the
cradle of history and Dakak’s unique-
ness in beauty combine to bring life to
the small city of nature.
He said that Dapitan has small in-
come but it was conferred by the Con-
gress the status of a city in honor of the
fact that Rizal spent the most quality
time there.
He also exhorted the press con-
gress participants to focus on advocat-
ing for the growth of local tourism. He
reasoned out that in many years since
Zamboanga’s image was tarnished by
kidnappings, bombings and raids by
the separatist rebels, it has been the lo-
cals who have kept it growing.
So that he said that the government
must develop tourism consciousness
among Filipinos for them to visit their
own sights to enliven the economy of
places relying on tourism.
Additionally, Jalosjos is batting for
the full development of history tour-
ism. He pointed at the shrine of Jose
Rizal as the best visitors drawer when
the place is developed, lamenting that
the National Historical Institute has
been neglecting the place where the
national hero left one of the most im-
portant imprints for the Filipinos.
After delivering his speech, the for-
mer congressman gave to each of us
a copy of his writings about Rizal, a
book of all letters written and received
by the national hero.
I have gone to many cities of the
Philippines and I have never found one
as nature as Dapitan. It is surrounded
So that if I want to go back again
to this almost virgin place of Dapitan,
I will never forget “The Rock” and
“Dakak.”