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with Ninfa Leonardia
OPINIONS

The bully in the block?

Ninfa Leonardia

One must really have a lot of guts – and faith – to keep from getting stressed with the things happening in the world today. Barely had we gone through the destructive passage of such storms as “Sendong” when we are again confronted with threats of earthquakes and tsunamis, as what is happening in Indonesia and Mexico. Those are happenings we can expect from Nature, which we are helpless to prevent, and can only mitigate by learning what to do when they occur.

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Lately, we, meaning, not only Filipinos, but other countries in Asia, and even in other parts of the world, are also being rattled by the news that a virtual neighbor, North Korea, is bent on launching a rocket that could result in some fall-out on countries it passes. Of course some scientists have pooh-poohed the fears expressed about that, but, even if the rocket performs perfectly, and does not drop debris in any part of the world, there is still the implication that such success will encourage North Korea to go further in developing such devices, the purposes of which we do not know.

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As if that were not enough to give sleepless nights to habitual worriers, there is also the other problems staring us in the face with the discovery by our Coast Guard of a Chinese vessel found to be hauling precious corals and endangered shells and other sea treasures from Philippine waters. When the officials of the Philippine Coast Guard discovered this, the crew of the vessel of the Chinese fishermen were backed by two other ships who defied the CG and stopped its men from arresting the intruders carrying loot from our waters.

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Now we are facing again a problem of territorial rights because the Chinese coral gatherers were allegedly found in PHL territory, but the Chinese government, through its ambassador, insists the area belongs to them. Our Foreign Affairs officials claim the fishermen were intruding in Philippine territory. The Chinese officials in effect, are saying “It’s ours, and what can you do about it?” That is why there is a stand-off now in the area called Scarborough that makes us feel like the small kid facing up to the bully in the block.

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Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo made the front pages of most metropolitan dailies yesterday because of her arraignment at the Sandiganbayan. Reports said she was smiling brightly most of the time, although she still wore what looked like a band of cloth around her neck. The reports also said she confided to some media people that, aside from her neck troubles, she is also suffering from shingles, which is contagious. I don’t think that kept the curious media folk away, though. It was also reported that she pleaded “Not guilty” three times. That is not the same as saying “Mea culpa” three times, of course.

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Is there parallelism in the story of President Arroyo and that of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi? The latter has just gotten out of house arrest and restrictions in her country, and recently vindicated herself and her party resoundingly by scoring an overwhelmingly win in their election. This was proven by the victory of her partymates who now hold 43 of the 44 seats in their parliament. President Arroyo, on the other hand, has just completed an extended term in the presidency, but is facing so many charges, it does not look as if she survive them all. While Suu Kyi just got freed from house arrest, our GMA has started her “hospital arrest”, which may also take a long time, considering how slowly the wheels of justice turn in this country.

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By the way, the police had to field 500 of its men to guard the former president from her detention room at the Philippine Veterans Center to the court. Wow. How much does it cost the government to do that? And if she has to go back and forth to the various courts where the charges against her have been filed, how many millions will the country continue to pour out for her safety – or to prevent her from escaping? And isn’t it true that the government is also paying for her stay in the hospital? My, what an expensive detainee she is turning out to be.

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Governor Freddie Marañon is very determined to introduce lamb meat to the people of Negros and, possibly, also to the rest of the country. I think that is a very good idea. By eating their meat, we might also absorb the nature of lambs. How would you like to live in a province and city where the people are as gentle and as meek as lambs?*

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