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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Why the radio silence on Joma's return?

By Bobit S. Avila

I was headed for the Jam Session IV hosted by the University of San Carlos Alumni Assoc. at the Grand Majestic last Saturday when my media friends asked me to join them in a room for a presscon, which turned out to be that of feisty Congresswoman from Zambales, Rep. Mitos Magsaysay. It was the first time I met with her, but she recognized me from my STAR photo. What I did not expect was, she’s quite a tall lady. But she’s smart and brave!


I have always wanted to meet with Rep. Magsaysay because my family has a good history with the Magsaysays… my late father Atty. Jesus Avila had a few black and white photos of the late Pres. Ramon Magsaysay with him (Dad) in the center beside the President. I also count the former Sen. Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay Jr. as a good friend and of course there is Paco Magsaysay. But there’s something I have in common with Rep. Mitos Magsaysay in that she is staunchly against the RH bill.


It’s not everyday that we get a no-holds-barred account from a true blue opposition to the Aquino regime and the Cebu media got a mouthful from Rep. Magsaysay. We wanted to know why she came to Cebu and she was quite frank… that she’s looking at the possibility of running for Senator. Of course, we told her that the name of Pres. Ramon Magsaysay is synonymous to good governance and the only President to have literally licked the Communist threat.


But we warned her that there’s no point in seeking a Senate seat if we will still use the same Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) which Smartmatic foisted upon the electorate without the voter knowing whether their votes were cast or not. There’s a case filed by the Philippine Computer Society (PCS) against the PCOS machines and we’d like to know where it is now.


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I got a lot of response about our article last Saturday on whether Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Chairman Jose Maria “Joma” Sison would be coming back to the country and be given a cabinet position. Most of these comments are text messagessaying, “Usually, the Malacañang Palace spokesmen are quick to issue responses on any issue about the Aquino government. But they are strangely quiet on this issue, which could only mean that this story is for real.” I fully agree with this observation and if the Palace Rasputins maintain their “radio silence” on this issue, then the people will have a grand time spreading all sorts of rumors on this.

I just hope that Pres. Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino III isn’t going to do this very dumb thing. Joma Sison was tagged as the brains behind the infamous Plaza Miranda bombing, a crime that remains unsolved today. We were all appalled that then Pres. Cory Aquino released Joma without any kind of deal in exchange for peace. With Tita Cory’s son now in power in Malacañang, we are very sure that if Joma returns to the country, he won’t be arrested or jailed for the Plaza Miranda bombing. But if Joma comes home, there will be a lot of unhappy people in this country.


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Finally, allow me to reprint a response from Christine del Mar,cdelmar1953@yahoo.com, about our Saturday column. “Such has been my personal take on how Visayans and Mindanaoans have been treated for the longest time. I would like to bring to your attention that it is not only the national government that has adopted this attitude of pro Manila Imperialism. Take a look around you and listen. Even our game shows, which rake in money, not only from the Kingdom of Manila but from the Visayas and Mindanao areas as well, benefit Luzon and Metro Manila residents only. If ever we see a contestant speaking with a Visayan accent, surely this guy didn’t take a boat or a plane just to join “Willing Willy.”


This guy must be a Metro Manila resident now. Take the case of ABS-CBN. Their high rating does not come from Metro Manila. Ironically, it’s the “gahing e og homok na o’s” that made them number one. Sadly, we have to take some amount of responsibility for how we are treated. Remember the saying, “There are no tyrants if there are no slaves.”


Let’s take responsibility for our city. If we can’t build bridges and new roads, we can start by keeping it clean. It will take a whole generation of Cebuanos to change a mindset that we are inferior to our northern settlers. We have to start somewhere, though. We cannot just keep on pointing an accusing finger all the time towards the North. Procrastination and rationalization is the root of complacency. “ I fully agree that it would take generations to change our mindset, which is why I am writing these articles now… to jolt the people in the Visayas and Mindanao that since July 4th 1946 the country has been badly run by Filipinos and the time for serious changes should have been done during the EDSA revolt. Hence it’s time to clamor for change now.


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For email responses to this article, write to vsbobita@mo-pzcom.comorvsbobita@gmail.com. His columns can be accessed through http://www.philstar.com.

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