Rep. Jojo Ang walks free

“It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.”

—Voltaire

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THOSE who were expecting Uswag Ilonggo party-list Rep. James “Jojo” Ang to spend time in jail indefinitely after being charged with 14 counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan were disappointed when he walked free after posting a P90,000 bail in the court’s Third Division on July 27.

Ang, 49, will have to shell out additional P1.170 million of the total P1.260 million bail for the 14 counts to avoid incarceration.

Since the Iloilo solon wasn’t charged with plunder (Republic Act No. 7080), which is a non-bailable offense if the evidence of guilt is strong and the total ill-gotten wealth reaches P50 million or more, he couldn’t be jailed interminably even after a warrant of arrest was issued against him.

The Office of the Ombudsman slapped Ang with 14 counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan on July 25 over his alleged links to a construction firm.

According to Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano, Ang was paid nearly P199 million from a construction firm he holds a stake after it secured P214-million worth of contracts from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

 

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Many of those who wished to see Ang spend time in jail were critics of former Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas, Ang’s political hierophant, who wanted to link Treñas to Ang’s meteoric ascension to power.

In other words, they wanted to “hurt” Treñas more than they wanted to hurt the embattled solon.

Critics of the retired political leader have seen Ang’s dilemma as a golden opportunity to take potshots at Treñas and the administration of his daughter, Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Maria Lourdes Sarabia Treñas-Chu.

They wanted to hit three birds with one stone thinking a bad or negative issue for one is a bad or negative issue for all.

The problem is Treñas has been reticent about Ang’s predicament and seemed not inclined to join the fray whether to decry his protégé’s misfortune or defend him.

Detractors have ribbed him for his silence, but the former city mayor remained unfazed.

When Ang’s alleged involvement in the flood control project scandal became known after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s “mahiya naman kayor” SONA last year, Treñas didn’t know what hit the party-list party he had been cultivating since 2019.

 

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In silence, Treñas, of course, has also been hurting.

Uswag Ilonggo partylist, after all, is his brainchild and he probably never thought the graft cases Ang is facing today would one day bring dishonor and shame not only to his propitious party-list but also to the City of Iloilo.

As much as possible, with the latest development, Treñas and his mayor daughter probably have been wanting to distance themselves from the beleaguered congressman, whose political future may have been shattered by the graft charges even if he will be exonerated.

Ang is facing alleged violations of Section 3 (h) of Republic act No. 3019, which prohibits public officers to “have direct or indirect financial interest in any business, contract, or transaction.”

“My conscience is clear. I am confident that I will be able to clear my name soon. My resolve for the truth to come out is stronger and clearer,” Ang had said.

“In my three years in public service, I have never used my position in the government for my own interest and to profit in any way.”

Ang is, of course, presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

 

NY imposes moratorium on data centers. Can RP do it for Pax Silica?

“The gig economy is empowerment. This new business paradigm empowers individuals to better shape their own destiny and leverages their existing assets to their benefit.”

—John McAfee

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THERE are those who believe Pax Silica is a good idea for the Philippine economy.

But many Filipinos think the Philippines isn’t yet ready for Pax Silica initiative, which has a core similarity with the data centers in New York in terms of their shared focus on the geopolitics, heavy industrialization, and resource demands of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In iPetitions started by Johanna Mangrubang, those who are against Pax Silica expressed fears of long-term consequences and concern for environment:

We call on our President and leaders to prioritize the Filipino people, our natural environment, and our long-term future.

No to any development that ignores the voices of the Filipino people. Our country’s future should not be decided without the voices of its people.

We support progress, but progress must protect our natural environment, our resources, and our communities. We demand transparency, accountability, and a future where development truly benefits all Filipinos, not only those with power and influence. No to pax silica!

“We, the people of this country, deserve an environment that is safe, healthy, and protected for future generations. Pax Silica is nowhere near any of that. No project is worth risking our communities, our water, and our natural resources,” protested a petitioner, Denisse Baylon.

“I stand with the community in calling for the Protection of our environment and future generations. Our health, water, and natural resources should come before commercial interests,” declared another petitioner, Charmaine Quito.

 

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As this developed in the Philippines, New York became the first U.S. state on July 14 to halt construction of large new data centers, imposing a one-year moratorium as concerns grow that the facilities driving the artificial-intelligence boom are raising power costs, straining water ‌supplies and burdening local communities.

As a result, it positions New York at the forefront of a growing national debate over how to manage the infrastructure needed to support AI.

While technology companies are racing to build new data centers, lawmakers and regulators in dozens of states are weighing measures to limit their effect on electricity grids, utility bills and local communities.

The construction ban will reportedly apply to data centers that use 50 megawatts ⁠or more of power.

During the moratorium, the governor’s office reported that the state's Department of Environmental Conservation will not issue any discretionary permits not already deemed complete.

The expansion of data centers in the United States is driving up power demand—and electricity bills— in large swaths of the country, drawing ⁠local and political backlash.

Only one in three Americans approve of the fast pace of data-center construction and most would oppose building one in their own community, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.

 

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New York State currently has more than 130 data centers, according to Data Center Map, compared with more than 600 in Virginia and about 500 in Texas.

Pax Silica is a U.S. State Department-led economic framework designed to secure global AI supply chains, semiconductors, and trusted computing infrastructure and New York's local digital landscape is adjusting to the massive real-world impact of those exact systems, at the same time.

The international pact explicitly targets securing the entire AI ecosystem and coordinates global efforts to build "trusted information networks," which directly include subsea cables, fiber-optic lines, and data centers.

Pax Silica, mentioned by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), is planned for New Clark City in Tarlac province, located on Luzon Island within the Luzon Economic Corridor. It is about 1,600 to 1,619 hectares (around 4,000 acres) designated as an Economic Security Zone in Central Luzon, part of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority development area.

Its prime purpose is a high-tech hub focused on artificial intelligence, microchips, and semiconductor manufacturing supply chains.

New York functions as a primary physical hub for these exact networks, hosting massive data centers that process the AI workloads, models, and tokens that Pax Silica aims to protect.

 

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THE DEVIL’S OTHER NAME. As a habit and as part of personal hygiene, taking a bath twice a day especially during summer is a must and should be inviolable.

To prevent sunburn when collecting recycled wastes, we must protect our skin with lotion. A regular perfume is also necessary.

I believe that cleaning up is more vital than dressing up. The most important thing in the world is to get rid of the waste. The salvation of the office is the waste basket.

The salvation of the home is the scrubbing brush. The salvation of the body is efficient elimination. The salvation of the soul is keeping dirt out of the imagination.

In the house of death there is the smell of cologne, in the hospital there is the odor of disinfectant.

Because the cleansing processes of life are secret, private and not to be mentioned or witnessed they are all the more sacredly essential.

The bacilli of Nature are the wrath of God that waits for the unclean. The devil’s other name is Dirt.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

 

‘What’s going on?’

“Never hide things from hardcore thinkers. They get more aggravated, more provoked by confusion than the most painful truths.”

―Criss Jami

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

AS we have been saying over the past few weeks, as long as protagonists in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio continued to swamp the proceeding with legal gobbledygook and parade their prowess in King’s English, the common people would never understand what’s going on.

They won’t even waste valuable time to be glued to the event even if many of them own electronic gadgets and can monitor the trial elsewhere.  

Highfalutin English is too painful to the ears of some people busy making both ends meet in the street and public markets.

Trial court-style snafu isn’t always in the menu of utility men and women, vendors, construction and farm workers.

The common tao, the masa is the class D that makes up about 60 percent of the populace, consisting of lower-middle-income workers and average wage earners.

While the impeachment trial debaters tear each other apart “live” on national TV and radio networks, the poor are more worried for their earnings or profit.

Financial security is strongly correlated with nearly every measure of political engagement, including the ongoing impeachment trial.

 

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Bus, taxi, jeepney, and other kalye or habal habal drivers engaged in pamasada fret about and prioritize their daily net "boundary" (after accounting for the vehicle rent).

These individuals don’t even care if someone will be “convicted” in the precarious and divisive trial.

They care about their children, the food on the table, high gas prices, expensive grocery items, rice, etcetera.

And if somebody has been “convicted” it won’t change the economic life of the hoi polloi.  

Low-income individuals often disengage from politics because the system feels unresponsive to their daily survival struggles.

When working multiple jobs or facing constant financial insecurity, civic participation is often crowded out by the immediate, overwhelming demands of securing basic needs like housing, healthcare, and food.

Many low-income citizens feel that politicians, including VP Sara and President Bongbong Marcos Jr., only represent the wealthy and special interest groups.

This makes many of us fear the prosecutors might not be able to convince the senator-judges to convict the vice president despite her shenanigans while in office because the trial will be decided by politicians, not trial court judges.

 

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Below is the official statement of the United States regarding China’s actions against Philippine Navy personnel at Second Thomas Shoal I obtained from the Department of State:

The United States condemns China’s dangerous and aggressive actions against Philippine navy personnel at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on July 20, 2026, and calls on China to immediately cease its destabilizing conduct.

China’s troubling pattern of provocation against lawful Philippine maritime operations undermines regional peace and stability and directly contradicts China’s repeated commitments to resolve disputes peacefully.

We stand with our Ally, the Philippines, and commend the professionalism and restraint shown by Philippine navy personnel in this incident.

We reaffirm the July 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which found that China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have no basis in international law.

That decision is final and legally binding on both China and the Philippines.

We will continue to stand with our Allies and partners in defense of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

 

Sea aggression confronts new Ilonggo AFP boss

“What would you have? Your gentleness shall force more than your force moves us to gentleness.”

—William Shakespeare, As You Like It

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE congratulate Lieutenant General Antonio Gustilo Nafarette of Calinog, Iloilo for being appointed as the new chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Another pure-blooded Ilonggo in the country’s highest military echelon. Another challenge to protect the country and keep it safe from internal and external enemies, more particularly Beijing.

As the new commander of the Philippine military, Nafarette, 57, will be responsible for enforcing the country's sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, a responsibility left by the retired former AFP boss, General Romeo S. Brawner Jr.

Nafarette’s appointment came days after the latest major conflict in the West Philippine Sea at the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal), where a member of the Philippine Navy sustained serious injuries after being aggressively struck on the head with a wooden baton by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG).

The CCG also reportedly rammed and damaged a Philippine navy rubber boat during a resupply mission to the grounded warship, the BRP Sierra Madre.

China’s maritime forces claimed they took "control measures" against Philippine vessels for entering contested waters.

The CCG accused the Philippine military of maliciously initiating the attack, arguing that Philippine personnel rapidly approached and encircled a Chinese patrol boat, prompting an escalatory response.

 

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This latest standoff has drawn swift condemnations from defense officials in the Philippines and their international allies. The United States criticized the "dangerous and reckless" actions of the Chinese Coast Guard.

This latest flare-up occurs just as Southeast Asian foreign ministers, alongside Chinese diplomats, gathered in Manila for regional security discussions.

Nafarette will now direct operational strategies, sustain credible troop presence at outposts like Ayungin Shoal, and counter political, cyber, and informational threats.

Nafarette’s specific responsibilities include:

-directing the Western Command (WESCOM) and the Philippine Navy to conduct regular maritime, sovereignty, and resupply missions;

-enhancing maritime domain awareness and upgrading the basing support systems on Philippine-held islands.

-coordinating closely with the Philippine Coast Guard to protect local fisherfolk and secure national interests; and

-preparing forces for non-kinetic battles, which include political, cyber, and information warfare.

 

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(Sadtong ika-20 sang Nobyembre, 2025, si retired Ambassador Leo Tito L. Ausan, Jr., abogado kag katapû sang Sumakwelan, Iloilo, Inc, nagbalhin sang diutay para sa Poetika, 28 Nob, sa Magnet Café, Dumangas.)

MAGHALONG KITA SA MGA BAGIS

I

Sang magulang nga bagis,

Ang iya manghod, kag ang iya nga misis,

Sa sugilanon nga kuno naga-druga,

Iya makahas nga ginpiripis,

Samtang siya hilaw, nga nagabungisngis,

Aton bala nga patihon, ining magulang nga bagis?

Nga, maathag masat-uman, nga latum sa unod kag ugat, ang pagkamabangis?

II

Ukon, sa sini nga tion,

Pagamaayuhon,

NGA MAGHALONG KITA SA MGA BAGIS,

Kag aton lang anay SILA, pabay-an nga magkinaalutay,

Sang ila nagalukmat, nga sa pulitika, arikis,

Ukon, labing maayo, nga aton anay nga  pasulabihon, kag hunâ-hunâon, nga kon mag-upas na ganî, ang mga gabunan, nga bagis,

KON SA TUNGÂ SINI MADAKPAN, Mangin, Makalulu-oy lang ang mga agihis!

MGA KAUTORAN, PAHANUMDOM,

MAGHALONG KITA SA MGA BAGIS!!

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)