BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO

LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “Jesus said, `If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’…” (John 8:31-32, the Holy Bible).

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    WHO IS GARCIA’S REAL PROTECTOR, SEN. TRILLANES? If Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV fully knew that it was not former AFP Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes who was protecting Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia on the issue of military corruption, why was Trillanes so angry with Reyes during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing where Lt. Col. George Rabuza testified?

    Was this a case of old grudge, a personal vendetta, considering that Reyes was a big part of the Arroyo government that sent Trillanes to jail for a number of years? Or was this a case of Trillanes trying to divert attention from the real protector of Garcia, so that the identity of this real protector would not be disclosed?

    And, can a senator of the Republic like Trillanes refuse to disclose the name of the supposed protector of a military corruption clique, despite having been asked to do so by someone being suspected to be the protector himself, like Reyes?

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    COURT OF APPEALS IGNORED IN TAIWANESE CASE? I can understand the position of the Aquino government in deporting to China, not Taiwan, the 10 Taiwanese citizens arrested in Makati City December last year on charges that they defrauded some Chinese businessmen to the tune of US$20 million, and this is clearly pursuant to the Philippines’ One China Policy.

    But is it true that there was a Court of Appeals order restraining the government from proceeding with the deportation, at least while the court was hearing a case filed by the Taiwanese suspects? If so, why did the government refuse to follow the Court of Appeals’ order?

    Holding in abeyance the deportation, while the order was in effect, could not have been contested both by China and Taiwan. As it is, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan are now reported to be facing termination from their jobs, and that Taiwan is no longer accepting OFWs, as a matter of official policy.

    On the other hand, there is now a very strict admission policy for OFWs as far as China is concerned, on account of the August 23, 2010 Luneta hostage incident, where Chinese nationals were killed by a Filipino police officer.

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    RABUZA HAS NO DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE? Lt. Col. George Rabuza is right in deciding to pursue his exposes on corruption at the AFP, for the people have a right to know what is going on at the institution which the Constitution says is the protector of the Filipino people.

    But, did you notice that what he has presented to all of us so far are his mere words, without any documentary back-up, support or evidence? If you will read court decisions hereabouts, mere allegations of witnesses are generally not given any credence unless there are documents other object evidence to prove them.

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`Protektor’ ni Garcia; ebidensiya ni Rabuza


INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “Sinabi ni Jesus, `kung mananatili kayo sa turo ko, kayo nga ay aking mga tagasunod. Sa gayon, makikita ninyo ang katotohanan, at ang katotohanan ang magpapalaya sa inyo’…” (Juan 8:31-32, Bibliya).

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    SINO ANG PROTEKTOR NI GARCIA, SEN. TRILLANES? Kung alam ni Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV na hindi si dating AFP Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes ang protektor ni Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia sa isyu ng korapsiyon sa militar, bakit kaya galit na galit ang mambabatas kay Reyes noong dinidinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee ang mga pagbubunyag ni Lt. Col. George Rabuza?

    Ito ay kaya ay dahil sa matandang alitan o personal na paghihiganti, kasi ay naging malaking bahagi si Reyes ng Arroyo government na siyang nagpakulong sa senador ng maraming taon? O baka naman layunin ng galit na ito na ilayo lamang ang atensiyon ng publiko sa tunay na protektor ni Garcia upang hindi mabunyag kung sino ito?

    At, maaaring bang tumanggi ang isang senador ng Republika, gaya ni Trillanes, na ibunyag ang pangalan ng sinasabing protektor ng korapsiyon sa militar, kahit na hiniling na, na maibunyag ang pangalang ito ng pinagsususpetsahang protektor, na si Reyes nga?

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    COURT OF APPEALS BINALEWALA SA TAIWANESE CASE? Naiintindihan ko ang posisyon ng gobyernong Aquino sa deportation sa China, hindi sa Taiwan, ng sampung Taiwanese citizens na naaresto sa Makati City noong Disyembre 2010 sa salang nanloko sila ng Chinese businessmen sa halagang US$ 20 million, batay sa sinasabing One China Policy.

    Pero, totoo ba na mayroon palang order ang Court of Appeals na pumipigil sa gobyerno upang ideport ang mga Taiwanese sa China habang dinidinig pa ang kasong isinampa ng mga pinaghihinalaang Taiwanese? Kung totoo ito, bakit tumanggi ang gobyernong sumunod sa Court of Appeals order?

    Ang pansamantalang pagpapatigil ng deporation, habang may bisa ang order na ito, ay hindi sana makukuwestiyon ng China at ng Taiwan. Sa ngayon kasi, napaulat na pinagtatanggal na sa trabaho ang mga overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sa Taiwan, at hindi na rin tumatanggap ng OFWs ang bansang iyon.

    Sa kabilang dako, nahihirapan din ang mga OFWs na pumasok sa China ngayon, dahil sa August 23, 2010 Luneta Hostage incident, kung saan maraming Chinese citizens ang pinatay ng isang Pilipinong opisyal ng pulisya.

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    RABUZA, WALANG MGA DOKUMENTO? Tama si Lt. Col. George Rabuza sa desisyong nitong ituloy ang mga pagbubunyag ng korapsiyon sa AFP, dahil may karapatan sa ilalim ng Konstitusyon ang sambayanang malaman kung ano ang nagaganap sa AFP na itinuturing na tagapagtanggol ng bayan.

    Pero napansin ba ninyo na puro salita lamang ang pinakakawalan ni Rabuza at wala man lamang siyang ipinakikitang dokumento? Kung titingnan natin ang mga desisyon ng mga hukuman sa bansa, hindi pinahahalagahan ang mga sali-salita lamang ng mga testigo kung wala silang mga dokumento o iba pang katibayan.

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