An eye for an eye?

 

“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

—Exodus 21:24

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THIS could go down in history in as far as the killings of journalists in the Philippines and their quick “solution” are concerned.

In only one month and four days after our hard-hitting colleague from Manila, Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, was gunned down in Las Pinas City on October 3, the alleged mastermind, Gerald Bantag, and several others have been formally charged with murder.

And it’s a big fish, to say the least.

Bantag is the suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general.

The accused mastermind, if true that he ordered Mabasa’s killing, must be hiding something and was worried by Mabasa’s series of expose about his alleged corruption, abuse of power and mismanagement.

If true that he ordered the murder of other people (mostly inmates) who opposed him, or journalists who criticized his wrongdoings, his appointment to the Bucor was wrong from the beginning.

Kudos to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). 

Let’s hope the cases will prosper, be elevated in the trial court, and the guilty parties will spend time in jail—if they will not be also killed.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ (Matthew 5:38)

 

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I sympathize with the Democrats, but I am prepared to accept their fate in the 2022 US midterm elections on November 8. 

All indications as of this writing point to a Republican tsunami in the Lower House and a slim chance to regain the Senate.

In the 2010 midterm elections, then President Barrack Obama lost his chief ally, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, after the House of Representatives went to the Republicans. The Senate, however, went to the Democrats.

Will history repeat against for Pelosi, who is now the House Speaker under the Biden administration? Let’s wait and see.

 

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According to the latest information sent to us by US chess master Marlon Bernardino, a young female chess player from Imus, Cavite in the Philippines recently became a chess sensation in an ASEAN tournament in Bangkok, Thailand.

Bernardino identified her as Elle Castronuevo, 8, who won the championship of the 6th Eastern Asia (ASEAN) Youth Chess Championship held on Friday, Nov.5 at Asia Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

Joining the 8-under girls’ class, she played 7 rounds during the rapid chess tournament. A Grade 3 pupil of Imus Pilot Elementary School, Castronuevo swept his all opponents, winning seven out of seven to claim the title.

Bernardino said she shined among any other and considered as the best player for the team Philippines.

Mary Janelle Tan and Gllasea Ann Hilario won silver and bronze in the 10-under girls’ class.

Bernardino added that Daren dela Cruz of Dasmarinas City, Cavite, playing under the guidance of Rep. Elpidio "Pidi" Frani Barzaga Jr. and national coach Fide Master Roel Abelgas also tallied perfect 7 points in the combined 12 and 14-under girls’ class.

Ruelle Canino, one of the top player of Far Eastern University-Diliman from Cagayan de Oro City took the silver with six points while Ryien Bahita of Canlaon City, Negros Oriental completed the Philippine domination went home the bronze medal with a higher tie break points in the group of four pointers.

Lexie Grace Hernandez and April Joy Claros, both from Angeles City, Pampanga won silver and bronze in the combined 16 and 18-under girls’ class.

In the boys division, Michael Jan Stephen Rosalem Iñigo of the Philippines bagged the bronze medal. He competed in the U16 boys category and won five and two loses. Iñigo is the pride of Dumaguete City/Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.

Other Filipino medallists are Caleb Royce Garcia (U8, silver), John Cyrus Borce (U14, silver), Christian Gian Karlo Arca (U14,bronze) and Janmyl Dilan Tisado (U18, silver).

The 1st day activity is a 7 rounds Rapid Blitz 15 minutes plus 5 seconds increment competition and will be followed by standard 30 minutes chess competition on the second up to the last day competition according to National Master/National Arbiter Rodolfo "Rudy" Toledo. 

The chess tournament draws a participation of closed to 200 participants of under 8,10,12,14, 16 and 18 years old boys and girls categories from 12 East Asian nations.

Backed up by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission, Team Philippines bags 3 Gold, 7 Silver and 7 Bronze medals in the Rapid Chess Tournament  on  the opening day of the East Asian Youth Chess Championship added Toledo.

PH delegation head was Grandmaster Jayson O. Gonzales who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by its' chairman/president Prospero "Butch" Arreza Pichay Jr.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

Lunatics in government

“Time will inevitably uncover dishonesty and lies; history has no place for them.”

—Norodom Sihanouk

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IF the voters and the appointing authorities in government aren’t careful, we will continue to have lunatics in government service. 

Taxpayers’ money will be wasted for their salaries, pelfs and privileges.

Lunatics are mentally ill persons. 

Instead of electing or appointing them, they should be sent to the mental institutions where they can be rehabilitated and prevented from assimilating with the public.

But, sad to say, there were lunatics who got elected during the elections; “normal” public officials who are beholden politically, appoint psychotics even to important government positions. That’s why damu buang.

Unlike in the police and military, there are no psychological evaluations before one is appointed or elected in government positions. 

The electoral system itself is the No. 1 recruiter of sira ulo. The election commission allows them to file their certificates of candidacy (COC), thus some of them managed to win after “entertaining” and tantalizing the gullible voters.

When these insane characters land in high government offices, they don’t only make scandalous decisions, they also endanger the lives of the people—their prolonged stay in public offices is downright inimical to the interest of the public, nay the entire nation if they occupy national positions.

 

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They are everywhere: from the executive to the legislative and even the judiciary. Not all governors, mayors, village and youth federation chiefs elected in a “fair and honest” electoral process have normal minds. 

Not all congressmen and senators are fit mentally. 

Not all judges from the trial to the higher courts think and behave normally.

When a public servant steals from the taxpayers, what kind of a person he or she is? Stealing is bad, illegal, immoral—a terrible act of dishonesty, yet many public officials continue to steal—and get away with their chicanery and skullduggery.

If caught with their hands in the cookie jars and exposed in the media, some of them still have the temerity to be outraged; they cry “persecution” and take the criticism, or the expose about their shenanigans personally. 

What kind of persons are they? Only the lunatics will react like that.

Normal persons don’t steal. Normal public servants don’t attempt to enrich themselves at the expense of every hard-working Juan dela Cruz who religiously pays taxes.

Normal public servants criticized in the media for malfeasance and irregularity are ashamed. Some of them resign immediately. In Japan, they commit hara kiri. Money is nothing if their honor has been besmirched.

In the Philippines, corrupt public officials, despite mounting pieces of evidence leveled against them, cry foul and drag the journalists who expose their dishonesty and incompetence in court. Fine. It’s part of due process, but, as balat sibuyas or onion-skinned, what kind of persons are they?

 

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In most horrifying cases, they hire killers to muzzle the press and silence media people who are only doing their job. What kind of mentality do they have?

Hard-hitting but credible broadcaster Percy Lapid, 63, was murdered by hired killers on October 3, 2022 in Las Pinas City, Metro Manila because he was effective, he told the truth and made many corrupt people in government angry. 

The masterminds, probably abusive and perhaps plunderers, couldn’t take Lapid’s criticisms; they were afraid of truth. Lapid’s series of expose against graft and corruption and abuse of power and authority were actually valid and justified in a democratic country.

The role of the critical press in a free country should be adversarial. Percy Lapid was adversarial, erudite, fair and very professional.

Press people aren’t supposed to praise officials in government—unless they performed extra-ordinary tasks that really deserved some kudos and applause.

When they get mad after stealing the people’s money and murdering the purveyors of truth, what kind of human beings are they?

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed) 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

Deterrence

“You can distill deterrence down to two factors: capability and will.”

—Chris Gibson

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE only way for a sensational crime to be prevented from happening again in the future is for the authorities to exert strong efforts to solve it and bring to justice all the perpetrators—from the hired killers to the masterminds, including the so-called “middlemen” even if some of them are murdered to prevent them from “singing.”

Once they have been identified, arrested and brought behind bars, those who are emboldened to commit the same cowardly act in the future will think twice.

Even if the mode of payment for the killers is now done electronically, there are still strong chances that the masterminds will fall if the law enforcers are hell-bent to round-up the criminals with or without any bounty or whatever emolument.  

If masterminds are cornered after being “fingered” by the perpetrators, the method or idea of hiring murderers through this mob style will somehow decline if not be totally abandoned, at least in the urban areas.

That’s why there is a need for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to solve the celebrated murder of the well-adored broadcast journalist Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa even if there were obvious efforts to stonewall the investigation with the sudden “death” (sometimes it’s a farce because the “dead” are not actually the real persons) of key persons of interest in the case.

 

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If the masterminds will not be traced, this will motivate the enemies of the press and other criminals to perpetrate the same crime in the future, especially if they are offended by crusading media practitioners.

The spate of extra-judicial killings involving suspected criminals, peasants, human rights lawyers and red-tagged activists; and the executions of prominent media personalities in the Philippines continued unabated because in the past, no mastermind has been paraded in public through the mandatory mugshot in the police station.

No criminal mastermind has served a jail term.

All those who fell, so far, were the “small fries” or those who don’t really have the real intention to kill but were only paid to do the hit. 

This is where the culture of impunity prevails. This is where lex taliones or the law of the jungle prospers. When no one is punished it’s become a “free-for-all” and come-let’s-do-it-more binge for these criminal elements. 

Condemnation from politicians and media organizations will not send fears in the hearts of these criminal elements. Denunciation from sectors affected by the criminal act won’t bring back the life of the victims or the murdered media crusaders.

 

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Writing from Sardinia, Italy where the world junior chess tilt is now being held, US master Marlon Bernardino recently sent a report to this writer that Filipino Jose Efren Bagamasbad has bagged the 65-and-over title in Auckland, New Zealand Asian Seniors.

Bernardino said the win earned Bagamasbad Grandmaster Norms and an outright International Master title at the conclusion of the 2022 Asian Seniors Championships was held from October 15 to 21 at the Auckland Rose Park Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand.

Still an active tournament player at 66, Bagamasbad emerged unscathed with 6 wins and 3 draws for 7.5 points that gave the top player of PCAP's Laguna Heroes the 65-and-over division crown plus the coveted gold medal.  

“I’m very happy to win again, especially in an international tournament like this Asian Seniors with One Grandmaster norms and an outright International Master title. Maagang Pasko ito (This is an early Christmas gift),” said Bagamasbad, who pocketed the top prize of $350 plus free single room and food at the 2023 World Seniors Chess Championships.

Miles Patterson of Australia finished second with 7.0 points for the silver medal plus IM norms while Fide Master Robert W Smith of New Zealand wound up third with 6.5 points for the bronze.

Robert Racasa, acknowledge God Father of Philippine Memory and long-time supporter and close confidante of Bagamasbad had something to say to the latest achievement of the latter: "Congratulations to the newest International Master of the Philippines IM Jose Efren Bagamasbad for bagging the 2022 Asian Seniors Chess Championships in Aukland, New Zealand. Nagbunga yung mga pinaghirapan natin."

Meanwhile, Bernardino added that International Master Gary Lane of Australia dominated the 50-and-over division crown with 8.0 points in nine outings.                               

He also got a Grandmaster norms for his effort aside the gold medal.

Another Filipino entry and Singapore based Fide Master Arlan Cabe came second with 7.0 points for the silver plus International Master norms.

Fide Master Alexei Kulashko of New Zealand settled for third with 6.0 points for the bronze medal.

Woman Fide Master Vivian Smith of New Zealand (in the over-65 category) and Candidate Master Helen Milligan of New Zealand (50-and-over) won the top Woman awards, respectively.

Other Pinoy woodpushers who participated in this week-long event are CM Benjamin Lim, Nunilon Fulo III and Ceferino "Jun" Isaac, all based in New Zealand.-Marlon Bernardino-

Photo credit to CM Helen Milligan, Paul Paul Spiller and New Zealand Chess news.

Photo shows from left Grandmaster Murray Chandler, NZ 's only Grandmaster and winner of the 1st Asian Junior Championships in Baguio City in 1977 and newest International Master and Grandmaster candidate Filipino Jose Efren Bagamasbad. Last round matches pitted Fide Master Jose Efren Bagamasbad of the Philippines versus Paul Beach of New Zealand. The game was ended into a draw.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

 

 

So near and yet so far

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

—Desmond Tutu

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

NOT all cases of murder involving journalists in the Philippines came almost a cinch away to being solved like the killing of tough-talking broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa of dwBL radio station in Metro Manila on October 3.

For a while, we heaved a sight of relief when confessed gunman Joel Escorial was finally identified and surrendered to the police in only two weeks after the slay when a P6 million bounty was offered for the tipsters.

Like some fellow journalists who have been following the progress of the investigation of Mabasa’s case, I didn’t write an opinion yet about Escorial’s capture. We waited for more developments; more heads to fall; more arrests, if possible.

He pointed to a certain Crisanto Palana Villamor, an inmate in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), as the alleged “middleman” after identifying his cohorts Israel Dimaculangan and his brother Edmon, and a certain Orly or Orlando as among those who “planned and executed” the assassination with the “inducement” of Villamor who promised to pay them P550,000.

We monitored the developments and have nothing but praises for Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. and his team of police investigators.

 

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We thought Mabasa’s case would be exceptional in as far as the quick solution of the case was concerned. But as soon as the confessed triggerman and his fellow “hired” killers have been inquested for murder, the alleged “middleman” Villamor suddenly “died” as reported on October 18.

The police and the Department of Justice (DoJ) have been scrambling to explain the circumstances behind Villamor’s alleged sudden death.

So far, none of the actors deserved the Famas. The more they talked, the more people noticed either they didn’t understand what they were saying, or they were part of the suspected cover-up.

All suspicions now point to a murder, or Villamor was probably silenced in order to shield the mastermind or masterminds. As usual, a dead man tells no tale.

The charade obviously has all the suspected signature of a mob hit—right inside a supposed to be secured institution?

What are the chances that the mastermind or masterminds will ever be known? Authorities said they have “secured” another “middleman” who is also an inmate (meaning there were two).

How soon can this other one stay “alive”? Will he ever be seen again?

With no assurance from authorities that the mastermind or masterminds might still be identified now that Villamor is gone, everyone is now literally and figuratively facing a blank wall.  

Justice Secretary Boying Remulla was correct to suspend Bureau of Correction (BoC) Director General Gerald Bantag, who must have been caught only between the devil and the deep blue sea.

The solution of this treacherous and senseless murder was (once) so near and yet (it proved to be) so far.

 

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I made a prediction before the start of the official campaign period of the May 2022 presidential election that retired boxer Senator Manny Pacquiao might stage a comeback in the ring after his defeat in the presidential election.

There have been reports that he was indeed contemplating to fight seriously again and has, in fact, been taunting his fellow boxing senior citizens like Floyd Mayweather Jr. and other retired former world champions in order to be noticed.

Because of the noise that he reportedly made and owing to his celebrity image, Pacquiao might succeed in convincing promoters to back his desire to fight again, but he will not be bankable anymore; he will no longer be a monster who used to devour his prey with gusto.

In fact, he might end up in a deplorable physical shape (God forbid) if his 44-year-old body can no longer receive and absorb brutal punishments.

Pacquiao is a pugilist by heart and mind. He was never meant to be a politician, but his celebrity status had brought him to politics, a strange territory tailor-made only for the talkative, the deceivers, and the plunderers, not for a ring warrior with abundance of athletic talent meant to entertain and make sports fans happy.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed) 

 

 

  

Our life as journalists

“Journalism without a moral position is impossible. Every journalist is a moralist. It's absolutely unavoidable.”

—Marguerite Duras

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

I DON’T know press freedom martyr Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, 63, from Adam, but I became misty eyed when I learned on Monday (October 3) night that he was murdered by the notorious riding in tandem killers in Las Pinas City in the Philippines.

I was inside my favorite Starbucks coffeehouse at Rego Park in Queens Boulevard when I read the news on line at around six o’clock in the evening (October 4 and six o’clock in the morning in the Philippines).

I had no idea how the left temple of my reading glasses was broken. I had to write a story about the shocking news without my reading glasses.

Murder, again? It’s a never-ending story, I told myself. Another brazen killing of a journalist in the Philippines. Nakakasawa na. 

My initial reaction was a mix feeling of disbelief and frustration that another comrade has fallen from the anarchists.

I grieved because I have high regards for this profession; I dreaded the loss of a true servant of the people, an important human life.

Telling the truth no matter who gets hurt, making adversarial commentaries, and exposing the dolts and scoundrels in government and society isn’t easy, but is intrinsically self rewarding. 

It starts from the heart. We must be passionate, committed, and learn to love what we are doing to stay afloat.

 

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Like Mabasa, we also strive to maintain our independence and avoid being beholden to any political, religious and economic interest. 

We can’t hope to freely “fiscalize” or reform the society if there are strings from wheeler dealers that pull us like puppets. 

I grieved because I know Mabasa was a principled journalist. 

I know what is a bad and a good journalist; we lost not only a good one, but one of the bravest and dedicated in the industry. 

When a good cop or soldier died in line of duty, his colleagues grieved like Marc Antony when he grieved over Caesar’s murder.

The feisty broadcaster must have angered so many wicked characters in society with his gung-ho style of admonishment in his radio program on DWBL 1242 called “Lapid Fire” proven to be effective based on the reactions of the netizens and his growing popularity nationwide. 

The masterminds of his murder must have grown insecure and nervous of their own downfall if Mabasa wasn’t silenced.

When graft and corruption and other forms of anomalous transactions involving the taxpayers money is prevalent in a certain government office, those who stand to lose a lot in terms of opportunities to earn kickbacks and to have access in the cookie jars and bidding contracts are the ones who are always motivated to commit murder. 

 

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As a fledgling reporter after the EDSA Revolution, I have heard two horrifying murder events involving Iloilo’s most hard-hitting radio commentators: Josef Aldeguer Nava of dyRP Radyo Tagring on October 30, 1988 and Severino “Rino” Arcones of dyFM Bombo Radyo on October 17, 1989. 

I rushed to the Don Benito Lopez Memorial Hospital in Jaro at past seven o’clock in the morning and saw our colleague, Bombo Radyo reporter Allyn Joy Defensor, screaming at the top of her voice while embracing Arcones’ dead body covered by a white blanket soaked with blood in the morgue.

The scene was horrific; it could traumatize anyone wishing to become a successful media practitioner. It could send any wet-behind-the-ears reporter packing to abscond the media profession. 

Since then, the list of our media colleagues who fell from assassins’ bullets and other forms of violent attacks increased like a glossary of funeral prayers.

Our life as journalists is unpredictable. Now you hear, read and watch us deliver news and commentaries. Tomorrow some us are murdered in cold-blood—unless we change profession and permanently leave and say goodbye to the most glamorous job on earth.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Murder of Marcos critic means Filipino journalists aren’t safe

 

“You think you are killing me. I think you are committing suicide.”

— Antonio Porchia, 1885-1968, Italian-Argentinian poet

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

PERCIVAL “Percy Lapid” Mabasa was the 196^th journalist murdered since democracy was restored in the Philippines in 1986.

That makes the Philippines still one of the most deadliest countries for journalists.

Mabasa, who had a radio show on DWBL 1242 called “Lapid Fire”, was a hard-hitting commentator and critic of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., former President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, and former Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.

He was shot dead by motorcycle-riding killers in his car in Las Pinas City on October 3 night, it was reported. 

Filipino journalists aren’t strangers to violence and bloody encounters with enemies of press freedom and those allergic to criticism who are mostly corrupt public officials, drug and illegal gambling syndicates, military and police scoundrels.

For a while, no journalist of national prominence like Mabasa has landed in the headlines after being harassed, bullied, or murdered. Most of those killed in the past 35 years were community journalists or media practitioners from the provinces. 

Since the EDSA uprising that toppled the dictatorship in 1986, one journalist from the wires was reportedly killed, one from online, and two were freelancers.

 

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The year of the Maguindanao Massacre in 2009 was the deadliest year for Filipino journalists, where 32 media workers were brutally killed. This was followed by 2004 and 2006, where 13 journalists were killed in each of those years. 

All of the three deadliest years were under the administration of former President and now Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In the press freedom index of the Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontieres or RSF) for 2022, the Philippines ranks 147th out of 180 countries. 

Sri Lanka is reportedly on the 146th spot, while Ukraine is on 106th. 

The ranking measures the state of press freedom in each country. 

Every administration, the fate of critical press in the Philippines hasn’t changed. 

If reporters aren’t jailed for exposing anomalies in government and bad elements in society, they are murdered in cold blood. 

The culture of impunity continues even until the Philippines has elected its new leaders that promised to promote and protect democracy in the recent national election.

President Marcos must use his government’s full resources to solve Mabasa’s senseless murder, the first case of celebrated media killing that will haunt this administration.

He mustn’t take Mabasa’s murder for granted even if he was Mr. Marcos’s relentless pre-election critic; his administration shouldn’t take this macabre crime lightly. 

 

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I was personally shocked by Mabasa’s grisly assassination. 

I followed his programs on Youtube especially before and during the recent campaign period for the May national elections.

He openly rooted for Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francisco “Kiko” Panglinan respectively for president and vice president.

Although his candidates for the top national positions didn’t make it, Mabasa was fair and square in his commentaries and criticisms of the new administration.

He blasted passionately the purveyors of fake news and condemned those who attempt to stifle the freedom of the press and expression.

Mabasa was also a fierce critic of former Mayor Isko Moreno and the current administration in the City Hall of Manila.

The hard-hitting broadcaster has waged war against graft and corruption using his very popular radio program which was simultaneously aired “live” in his social media accounts and posted on Youtube with hundreds of thousand followers.

Violence in the Philippines, the unabated persecution and increasing harassment and killings of crusading journalists; the death of my colleagues from hired killers, among other savage attacks against my profession, are among the major reasons why I am now based in the United States.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—ED)