No logic in linking Treñas to Capulot’s arrest

“Logic is the technique by which we add conviction to truth.”

—Jean de la Bruyere

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

MY sympathies will always be for colleagues or former colleagues in the mass media when it comes to controversies involving libel or cyberlibel cases regardless of who the complainant is.

I have been there; I mean, I know how it felt to be harassed through libel cases by onion-skinned and crybabies who pretend to be elected public servants.

Politicians who easily get pissed off by a slight criticism from any member of the Fourth Estate don’t deserve a minute longer in public office. 

They are worse than Omicron because their actuations are tantamount to muzzling the freedom of press and expression in a democratic society.  

No journalist will criticize a public official with intention to destroy the public official’s reputation unless the journalist is “double-edged” or a person working as a media practitioner and at the same time dyed in the wool extortionist (we acknowledge that in every paradise there is serpent and in every forest there is snake.).

So, if a politician receives criticism from a working journalist (newspaperman or broadcaster) it should be job-related or constructive criticism meant to call the politician’s attention for his shortcomings and transgressions, not because the journalist harbors a personal grudge and wants to get even by inventing lies and hitting the politician below the belt out of spite and retribution.

 

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The arrest of Iloilo City mayoral aspirant Salvador “Jun” Capulot by operatives of the Iloilo City Police Station 3 (ICPS3) led by Captain Eduardo Siacon, Jr. at the parking area of a building along B. Aquino Ave. in Mandurriao, Iloilo City on February 17 made him more popular and like a whipping boy.

In the eyes of his fans and political supporters, the former radioman from Bacolod City, who is running for mayor against incumbent Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas, was a victim of persecution.

Seeing Capulot in handcuffs made them think he looked like an underdog, and someone being made to suffer from injustices for being a small fry.

And Ilonggos always loved the underdog, especially that Capulot appears to personify the image of a poor man with brown complexion and who looks like an ordinary servant and victim of oppression.

Fans and political supporters won’t give a damn about the cases that made members of ICPS3, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Iloilo City Field Unit, and the Iloilo City Mobile Force Company collar Capulot especially if they see him act like a normal person being arrested and manacled by a group of numerically superior lawmen for stealing a bread to feed his starving family.

 

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Incidentally, Capulot’s arrest came at a time when he was candidate for city mayor.

This made critics of Treñas, as well as Capulot’s political backers, to link the arrest to the former broadcaster’s political career. Enemies of Treñas have found a good opportunity to lash him for “persecuting” Capulot. 

If you hate Treñas, the issue is swashbuckling; it’s a perfect time to finally unleash the molotovs against a “vindictive” mayor, who has been receiving heavy criticisms from Capulot himself, who still maintains a radio “blocktime” program and a hard-hitting Facebook account even after he has “left” the broadcast industry as employee to focus on his new-found career.

But if we look beyond the trees and examine the entire forest, blaming Juan for Pedro’s actions would be illogical and unpalatable, to say the least. 

Capulot’s warrant of arrest for six counts of alleged violation of Republic Act 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) docketed as Criminal Case Nos. 22-3519 to 22-3524 was issued by Judge Rosario Abigail Magay Dris-Villanueva of the Regional Trial Court Branch 65 in Jordan, Guimaras on Feb. 15, 2022.

And the cases were filed by former Guimaras lone district representative and 2022 gubernatorial candidate JC Rahman Nava.

Guimaras is not only a separate congressional district, it’s also an island province with separate courts and jurisdiction. 

Some whip smarts asserted that because Nava belongs to the National Unity Party, where Treñas is a member, ergo, the city mayor could be behind the arrest.

Why would Treñas “flex” his muscle that far for an opponent he can easily beat? And what power does he wield against the court?

Why would the court allow itself to be influenced by a politician if the cases had merits?  

The link is totally preposterous if not right away freakish.

(The author, who is no based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alaska’s ‘goodbye’ doesn’t mean forever?

 

“History never really says goodbye. History says, 'See you later.'”

—Eduardo Galeano

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

I USED to “dislike” Alaska Air Force/Alaska Milkmen/Alaska Aces.

But not as a team. One of the two reasons was Tim Cone.

I’m not racist but I thought Cone, who was 32 when first offered to coach Alaska Air Force-turned-Milkmen in 1989, evoked the grim image of Adolf Hitler’s deadliest general, Otto Skorzeny.

Back in the 80s and early 90s when I was still following some of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) games, I couldn’t recall seeing Cone smile, not once despite giving Alaska Aces 13 championships.

Interestingly, we missed in the hardcourt that grumpy face of the American coach from Oregon for 18 months in 1991 when he was barred from coaching in the 1991 All-Filipino Conference. 

This came when the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) filed a case in February 1990 questioning the alien employment permit given to him by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Cone’s corporate employer, General Milling Corporation, fought all the way to the Supreme Court of the Philippines and lost in April 1991, or fourteen months later.

It was only when Cone gained permanent resident status after marrying a Filipina girlfriend Cristina Viaplana in August 1991 that he was able to return to PBA coaching.

 

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Did I misread him as a sportswriter? Was my judgment too harsh? 

I have no idea; I have stopped following some of the PBA games since 1993, when the league moved to the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City (I started flying to Manila to officiate as boxing referee in the Cuneta Astrodome and the Rizal Memorial Coliseum a year earlier). 

I wasn’t privy anymore when the Alaska Milkmen thereafter won the 1996 grand slam and nine titles in the decade after PBA’s debut in the new arena. The Milkmen’s golden era.

Another reason was team owner Wilfred Uytengsu Jr. I thought he was elite and didn’t connect with the hoi polloi, which constitutes the majority of PBA fans all over the archipelago.

Why must a promising and, in fact, a strong team since San Miguel Beer and Great Taste, be lorded over by “non-Filipinos”, was the nagging question that occupied my mind then.

Back then, however, Cone, proved to be an outstanding coach as he led the Philippine men's national basketball team as head coach and guided the Philippine Centennial Team to a bronze medal at the 1998 Asian Games. 

Under his watch, the national team won the 1998 William Jones Cup. Cone was appointed head coach of the national team again in September 2018 for at least the 2019 Southeast Asian Games following 

Yeng Guiao’s resignation due to a dismal performance by the RP Team in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

 

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Alaska Milk Corporation (AMC) shocked PBA fans, including those residing abroad, when it announced on February 16, 2022 that the Alaska Aces will leave the PBA at the end of the 2021 Governors' Cup. 

The decision was a directive by FrieslandCampina, parent company of AMC, Uytengsu tearfully explained on Philippine television news.

Many articles and feature stories in the social and mainstream media have been written and broadcast about Alaska’s forthcoming “sad” ending.

We think Alaska’s “goodbye” may not be forever. The Aces have been in the league for 35 years, and the rather abrupt decision to leave may not be permanent after all.

They might spring back just when everyone’s thinking they’re gone forever. After all, its “demise” has been attributed by some fans to pandemic, although the management didn’t specifically confirm the reason for the disbandment. Let’s wait and see.

For the meantime, let’s hear a line from The Bread’s 70s hit, “Goodbye Girl”:

So remember goodbye doesn't mean forever

Let me tell you goodbye doesn't mean we'll never be together again

Though we may be so far apart you still will have my heart

So forget your past, my goodbye girl

'Cause now you're home at last

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

Stick to values

“Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite.”

—Charles Spurgeon

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE support the stand of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in the Philippines to focus on the values of the candidates running for public office on May 9, 2022, rather than their popularity, wealth, influence and connection.

We maintain that what the country badly needs today are leaders who have strong set of values. 

A religious person intending to become a leader is OK, but sometimes he won’t prioritize the people’s welfare because he is enamored to his religion, or he is bedeviled by a conflict of interest involving his religion.    

Our values will carry us to where money and popularity can’t.

A leader of values will be ashamed and afraid to steal.

A leader of values will not accept bribes from law violators and SOPs from unscrupulous contractors and lobbyists.

A leader of values will have a good moral character and is a role model.

A leader of values will take care and defend our sovereignty and constitution; he will fight for his people, not betray them and sell their national patrimony. 

We must learn from our past lessons when we wrongly elected fraudulent characters who sucked our blood, governed us based on fear, and murdered our family members.

 

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It seems the Commission on Election (Comelec) has tolerated some candidates in the May 9, 2022 like Antique Rep. Loren Legarda who “overwhelm” their competitors with campaign advertisements in the electronic media and the internet.

Some people may think Legarda, who is again running for senator, is running for president or vice president anew owing to the volume of campaign ads she spread all over the news websites, including the print and broadcast media.

Legarda’s video clips almost occupied the bigger chunk of the spaces supposedly allotted for all senatorial candidates. 

Is she so desperate to reclaim her senate post and is also aiming to land in the top 5 at the same time?

If all her paid campaign materials were accommodated by the media outfits nationwide, she must have violated the Comelec restrictions on overspending in as far as the campaign advertisement is concerned.

Despite this seemingly overabundance of campaign ads, the lady solon’s jingles and video clips proved to be substantially arranged and was impressive in form as they promoted self reliance and the use of indigenous materials.

The campaign ads also highlighted her past accomplishments. Everything seemed done professionally, except perhaps her wrong choice of the personality seen interviewing her in those video clips.

The appearance of the lady who gyrates like a shrimp and excessively shrieks like Matutina, wasn’t anymore necessary as it only distracted the advertisement’s real essence.

 

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The Broadband Plan for all New Yorkers. During her recent State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the ConnectALL Initiative, a transformative plan to invest in New York’s digital infrastructure to bring affordable, reliable broadband service to all New Yorkers. 

A major component of this initiative is the Affordable Connectivity Program.

For too long, broadband service has been out of reach for many New Yorkers because of its cost; on average, broadband service is priced at more than $60 a month. 

The Affordable Connectivity Program helps low-income households pay for internet service and connected devices, providing the following for eligible households:

Up to $30/month discount on internet service

Up to $75/month discount if your household is on qualifying tribal lands

A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50)

Access to reliable broadband service is an essential resource for anyone who wants to start a business, find a job, access healthcare, and communicate with loved ones. 

With promotion of the Affordable Connectivity Program and through the ConnectALL Initiative Governor Hochul has laid the groundwork to connect all New Yorkers and make New York a leader in the 21st century connected economy.

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

   

 

 

War is stupid

“To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.”

—George Washington

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

NO, not during the pandemic. War plus Covid-19 would be a double whammy against humanity.

Even if it will involve only two neighboring countries outside Asia, America and Africa, a war using the latest missile technology and other advanced weaponry, can damage or forestall the recovery efforts from Omicron of all races, in one way or the other.

More than 200 Filipinos now living and working in Ukraine will be displaced and added to the problems of the Philippines if they are forced to evacuate and go home.   

As of now, we are “worried” only about the Omicron (although cases in the Philippines, as well as in other parts of the world, are starting to reportedly decline), and the May 9, 2022 election. 

Even if US President Joe Biden has declared in a recent statement a Russian attack on Ukraine is "still very much a possibility" and the human cost would be "immense", we are confident there will be no war. 

No human life should be wasted in a war even if Mr. Biden, the most powerful person on earth, has assured the world “the US was ready to respond decisively to such a move” by Russia against Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had now reportedly massed some 150,000 troops on the border with Ukraine.

 

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Despite assurances from Russia's defense minister that some forces have withdrawn, Mr Biden remained skeptical saying in a televised statement that this had not been verified.

Mr. Biden said: "(Russian forces leaving) would be good, but we have not yet verified that. We have not yet verified the Russian military units are returning to their home bases. Indeed, our analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position."

Let’s hear from the Culture Club’s 1984 hit, The War Song

War war is stupid and people are stupid

And love means nothing in some strange quarters

War war is stupid and people are stupid

And I heard the banging of hearts and fingers

War!

People fill the world with narrow confidence

Like a child at birth, a man with no defense

What's mine's my own, I won't give it to you

No matter what you say, no matter what you do

Now we're fighting in our hearts

Fighting in the streets

Won't somebody help me?

 

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It was reported on February 15 that the websites of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and two banks came under a cyber-attack. 

The cause was not immediately clear but Ukraine has suffered large-scale attacks before on its online infrastructure and has pointed the finger at Russia, reported the BBC News.

There has long been concern that, rather than a full-scale invasion, Russia could use less obvious means to destabilize Ukraine, for example through cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure, the report said. 

President Biden said on February 15 the US was prepared to respond to any such move.

Mr Biden's speech came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow's security concerns should be addressed and taken seriously.

Mr Putin has always denied planning an incursion, and said Russia did not want another war in Europe. However, tensions have been rising since November.

Following earlier reports that US intelligence believed Russia could attack Ukraine on February 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared it to be a day of unity, calling on citizens to wave the country's flag and wear blue and yellow ribbons-Ukraine's national colors.

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

 

 

 

I own iPad mini 6 that’s subject of a lawsuit

 

“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”

—Unknown

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IF the class lawsuit filed against iPad mini generation 6 will succeed, I might be one of the recipients of undisclosed damages for the simple reason that I own one of these controversial Apple gadgets even if I am not the plaintiff. 

Out of curiosity, I ordered my new iPad mini 6 from T-Mobile only in November 2021, but received it only in December. I actually wanted to cancel it when it failed to arrive on the date the T-Mobile had promised to deliver it.

I had no idea there was a controversy attached to the particular latest iPad mini edition when I finally decided to accept the delayed T-Mobile delivery.

As early as September 2021, some iPad mini 6 early adopters complained about the screen’s so-called “jelly scrolling.” 

“Wobble” is an unorthodox word for a phenomenon that occurs when one side of the screen refreshes at a much slower rate than the other, according to thetechxp’s Pegoutam Saini.

To be candid about it, I didn’t notice anything wrong with my iPad mini 6 even after I learned about the lawsuit. I checked my gadget and as of this writing, I still have to convince myself I experienced the “jolly scrolling” problem while using it.

 

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A slow-motion video from The Verge’s Dieter Bohn reportedly shows the effect in action, making it difficult to convey.

In the class action complaint has filed in a federal court in California against Apple, plaintiff claimed that the iPad mini 6’s “jelly scrolling” problem makes the gadget “unusable.”

Claims alleging the “jelly scroll” issue on sixth-generation iPad mini devices have been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by Christopher Bryan of Colorado

Report said it wasn’t long before customers started experiencing a “jelly” sensation while scrolling on the iPad mini 6 following its introduction. 

Apple would reportedly argue that this wasn’t an issue and assert that the apparent fault in all LED panels is in fact something that occurs in every LED screen.

It hasn’t worked for everyone, according to Saini, therefore a class action lawsuit has been filed to push the issue.

MacRumors reportedly claimed that the iPad mini 6 display “bends, warps, distorts, and obscures text and pictures leaving the Device useless,” according to a lawsuit. 

This MacRumors forum conversation was reportedly cited as proof that customers have had “motion sickness, nausea, vomiting, and headaches when using the Device due to the Defect.”

 

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The problem was caused, it seems, by a slower refresh rate on one side of the device’s display than the other, explained the plaintiff who also claimed that “users have claimed motion sickness, nausea, vomiting, and headaches while using the Device owing to the Defect.” 

The complaint said the effects were originally discovered by MacRumors.

Apple insisted in September 2021 that the “jelly effect” was typical behavior for LCD panels and that it was not a problem. 

There are other LCD panels with “jelly scrolling” issues, but none are as severe as the iPad mini’s, according to the complaint filed on February 9.

It’s also claimed, in the complaint, that despite being aware of this flaw, “Apple continues to promote and sell the iPad mini in its present state without making any changes to address the problem.”

According to the lawsuit, Apple is “concealing” the fact that the iPhone is malfunctioning. 

Lawsuit charges Apple with fraud as well as breaking California competition and misleading advertising statutes, according to the precise claims.

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

 

 

 

Plato and Philippine election

 “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”

—Winston Churchill

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE prospect of ex-boxer Manny Pacquiao becoming president of the Philippines and showbiz “bad boy” Robin Padilla joining the ranks of other misfits in the senate is part of the realities those who adhere to democratic principles or simply “democracy” must face and accept.

Plato had warned us about democracy thousands of years ago, or about 500 years before Jesus was born (this has always been the timeline I suggested to refer to the period of the Greek philosopher’s existence) in “The Republic.”

Widely acknowledged as the cornerstone of Western philosophy and the first great examination of political life, Plato’s “Republic” was written around 375 B.C.

It still holds insights into ethics and political life that can teach the modern world, especially Filipinos who will elect their leaders on May 9, 2022, many a lesson.

A student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle, Plato witnessed democracy begrudgingly in his city of Athens. 

Ancient Athenian democracy differs from the democracy that we are familiar with in the present day. 

Athens was a city-state, while today we are familiar with the primary unit of governance operating nationwide. 

Consequently, governance of a smaller population enabled more “direct” forms of democracy rather than the “representative” forms accorded by contemporary constitutions, according to Arc Ninian in Why Plato Hated Democracy.

 

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It “isn’t their fault” actually if the likes of Pacquiao, Padilla, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, etcetera, are elected into public office, especially those running for president as long the constitution allows it.

Under Article VII, Section 3 of the 1987 Constitution, a Filipino can be elected president if he or she is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least 40 years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years immediately preceding such election.

Unless the constitution is changed, every “qualified” Filipino will have the opportunity to win the presidency and occupy elected seats in the lower and upper chambers of congress. 

Philippine democracy is also susceptible to suffer from voter ignorance, which is seen as one of the major reasons for the decline in quality of elected leaders.

The cause of voter ignorance may not be due to a lack of intelligence. Rather voters are simply rationally ignorant and rationally irrational. Rational ignorance means that voters are logical and/or reasonable for staying uninformed about politics, according to Criticism Against Democracy.

This is because to become an informed voter, according to Austrian philosopher Geoffrey Brennan's standards, it would be extremely cost-prohibitive to the individual. 

“It would take an enormous amount of time to become informed to such a level and stay informed about current political events. When doing a cost-benefit analysis, most people would find that becoming informed is not worth their time. Therefore, people are considered rational for choosing not to be informed,” it added.

 

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Rational irrationality refers to the fact that it is logical for people to have cognitive biases resulting in irrational beliefs. 

Similar to why it is rational for voters to be ignorant, the cost-benefit analysis to correct cognitive biases is not in favor of the informed voter. Brennan claims that “just as it is instrumentally rational for most people to remain ignorant about politics, it is instrumentally rational for most of them to indulge their biases”.

According to this theory, as pointed out in Criticism Against Democracy, “the costs outweigh the benefits because it would take an excessive amount of work to find neutral/fair information and correct one’s own biases.”

It added: “In both cases, voters remain ignorant and irrational because the costs to become an impartial, informed voter do not outweigh the benefits. The impact of a competent vote is futile. In the grand scheme of things, a single vote amounts for very little. The chances that one’s vote would be the deciding factor in the election is minuscule; therefore, why would one take the time to inform themselves with very little reward? One could spend an abundance of time becoming informed and rational only to result in the same outcome.”

Politicians and special interests like poll surveys have also attempted to manipulate public opinion for as long as recorded history—this has put into question the feasibility of democratic government.

Critics claim that mass media actually shapes public opinion, and can therefore be used to "control" democracy. Opinion polls before the election are under special criticism.

It has been said that misinformation—such as fake news—has become central to elections around the world.

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

Support from cults, false prophets not a sure win

“Regardless of who wins, an election should be a time for optimism and fresh approaches.”

—Gary Johnson

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

TWO big religious organizations in the Philippines have endorsed the Bongbong Marcos-Sara Duterte-Carpio tandem for president and vice president in the May 9, 2022 election.

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ, headed by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) “Most Wanted”-listed Apollo Quiboloy and El Shaddai, headed by Bro. Mike Velarde.

Soon, the Iglesia Ni Kristo, founded by Felix Manalo, might follow suit.

With three powerful and influential religious groups backing the Marcos-Carpio ticket plus the Pulse Asia (PA) and Social Weather Station (SWS) surveys, some people might think victory is in the bag respectively for the only son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and the only daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Wait a minute. Don’t be too fast.

Elections are decided by the voters who cast their ballots on election day (some malicious minds are saying they are decided by Smartmatic machine), not by the polling firms; not by cult leaders and false prophets who operate organized religions.

In the five Philippine presidential elections we have covered in the past, scientific surveys and the support of mammoth secular groups mattered, but they weren’t absolute.

 

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Nowadays, independent voters cast their votes according to their conscience and personal choices; and they reject subjugation by their controlling leaders for a block voting.

Many of them aren’t anymore intimidated by the dominance and control of their pushy leaders, and they take liberty to openly pick and vote for the candidates that represent their sentiments and values.

And that’s where the spirit of volunteerism beckoned. 

Instead of blindly following the wishes of haughty secular leaders to vote for a common candidate, many independent voters choose to go all the way to volunteer for the candidates of their choice. 

They aren’t scared of sanctions and retributions. Times have changed.   

With three months to go, so many things can still happen; some of the previously unshakable alliances and bandwagons might still break up and reorganize, especially in the local level. 

Even The Economist has warned that “An absolute majority may not be enough for Ferdinand Marcos Jr to win the presidency.”

“The popularity of Mr Marcos, the son of the late president of the same name, is a return to form. He is particularly attractive to younger voters, who seem either unconcerned about or unaware of the record of the older Marcos, a dictator who ruled for over two decades and was deposed only after a popular uprising in 1986. The younger Mr Marcos tries to maintain his appeal by avoiding the subject of his father’s regime all together,” explained The Economist in its February 12 edition.

As the saying goes, it’s not yet over ‘till the fat lady sings. It’s a long way to go, folks.

 

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Beware of Love Scam. Before, during, and after Valentine’s Day, many gullible people succumb to love scam, especially in the social media.

Scammers offer fake love or do something during the chats that will control the emotions of their prospective victims.

Millions of people turn to online dating apps or social networking sites to meet someone. 

But instead of finding romance, many find a scammer trying to trick them into sending money.

They’ll often say they’re living or traveling outside of the United States. We’ve heard about scammers who say they are: working on an oil rig; in the military; a doctor with an international organization.

We’ve heard about romance scammers asking their targets for money to: pay for a plane ticket or other travel expenses; pay for surgery or other medical expenses; pay customs fees to retrieve something; pay off gambling debts; pay for a visa or other official travel documents

Scammers ask people to pay: by wiring money; with reload cards like MoneyPak or gift cards from vendors like Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, or Steam. 

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