Remembering Gat Andres Bonifacio
It's Bonifacio Day today. I regard Andres Bonifacio as a true Filipino revolutionary in the sense that he went all out against our Spanish colonizers and founded the Katipunan. Thus, he is known as the Father of the Philippine Revolution. But the Philippine Revolution was marred by other Filipinos who had their own political ambitions; notable amongst them is Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo who went against Bonifacio for the honor to lead the country against Spain.
But both Aguinaldo and Bonifacio failed in uniting for the nation and in the end, everything ended in tragedy. A tragedy that lingers on in today's personality political system. They probably didn't know the old proverb, "united we stand, divided we fall!" This should remind our readers once more that the need to shift from our current personality politics should become a national priority if we are to move forward into a better future and away from the 40-years of that unlamented Marcos-Aquino feud where too many quarters still want it to linger on in the hope to bring the Aquinos and or the Marcoses back in to political power.
This can happen if we finally decide to shed off 71 years of our unitary form of government, which has only politically and economically stagnated the Philippines. We should embrace a parliamentary-federal form of government with new political parties that act like real political parties, which can become vehicles for change rather than what is happening today where personality politicians even take over a political party for their own selfish or vested interests.
This is exactly what happened in the presidential elections of the year 2010 when former President Corazon Aquino died and the front runner for the presidential race, then DTI Sec. Manuel "Mar" Roxas gave way to allow a non-performing Congressman and Senator Benigno "PNoy" Aquino III to run for president because of sympathy votes and look what we got in the six years of incompetent rule by Pres. PNoy Aquino? Under his watch, the Philippines became a narco-state.
In the end, due to intense political rivalry rather than intense attention to fight the Spaniards, Gen. Aguinaldo had Bonifacio and his brother, Procopio, arrested and called a kangaroo court and had them summarily executed on May 10, 1897 and somehow political wrangling's in our political way of life continue up to today where close political friends often become bitter political enemies all for the sake of being in power. Bonifacio had the interest of the Filipino people always in his mind while Gen. Aguinaldo only had his selfish political ambitions that kept him going until he succumbed to American pressure and submitted to the American flag. In my book, Gat Andres Bonifacio was a true Filipino patriot and a national hero.
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Yesterday, we got the report that Sen. Leila De Lima would not honor any "Show cause" order that the House of Representatives would file or issue against her. Call it another insulting act coming from a senator of the land who has openly lied to the Filipino people and continues to lie to us.
Honestly, I was truly taken aback when she said yesterday and let me give you her exact statement, "I am just being consistent with my defiance vis-a-vis that so called House inquiry na alam ko na naman from the start na panghihiya lang sa akin. That is plain and simple kangaroo court. Certainly, I will not face them I will not honor that show cause." In my book, to call a legitimately called House Hearing and call it a "kangaroo court" is an insult not only to the members of the House of Representatives who are representing the Filipino people but to the Filipino people as well!
This lying senator is out of control simply because the mainstream media continues to relish her words even the ones she twists in order to gain favor. When she was accused of "obstruction to justice" when her text message to the daughter of her lover/driver Ronnie Dayan was read during the hearing where she told the poor girl not to attend the congressional hearing and run away. She said that it was not obstruction to justice but obstruction to persecution!
At a press briefing last Monday, House Speaker Pantaleon "Bebot" Alvarez said he is ready to order De Lima's arrest if she would not respond to the show cause order that will be issued by the chamber. Well, what are you guys waiting for? Get that arrest order once and for all. Meanwhile, we haven't heard from Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III as to what the Senate should do to Sen. De Lima? Now is a time for action and it seems that Koko Pimentel is not exercising real leadership as Senate President.
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