Entrepreneurial Farmer

By Ambrosio R. Villorente

The Guilt of Former
President Estrada

Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, alias Erap was found guilty of plunder by the Sandiganbayan after more than six years of court litigation. The court acquitted Erap in the case of perjury but he was meted the penalty in the plunder case of "reclusion perpetua" (life imprisonment) or 40 years in prison and to pay the government of what he plundered: the sum of P530,000,000 representing the jueteng payola, the tobacco excise tax and the Belle deal.
The Erap case is a one big deal. Who is next? If Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is insincere in cleansing her government, she might experience the same. She better look into the Joc Joc Bolante’s close to a billion peso fertilizer deal, the Nani Perez scandal and the Hello Garci controversy among others. Better still if the ZTE broadband deal is investigated if not cancelled.
The ZTE broadband deal is a grand black eye to Mrs. Arroyo’s government. It exposes the process of corruption in the Philippines which will make future deals with foreign countries more expensive. The son of House Speaker Jose de Venecia claimed he was offered US$ 10 million by Comelec Commissioner Benjamin Abalos provided he withdraws his participation from the broadband deal. It was also alleged that former NEDA Secretary Neri was offered P100 million just to recommend favorably the broadband project.
BARONG TAGALOG
In Australia, "Barong Tagalog" means peasant dress. This was revealed during the Asia Pacific Summit held in Australia just last week. Isn’t this very degrading? Among us Filipinos, we are very proud of our barong tagalog. This barong tagalog meaning given by the Australians is another humiliation to the Filipinos.
In England, the "Filipina" word as listed in their Oxford dictionary means "household help". This is another humiliation to the Filipinos, British style.
Perhaps, Filipinos are suffering of these degradation because of our own behavior.
A president of the Philippines was deposed from office because of abuses in 1986. In 2001, another president of the Philippines was removed from office because of plunder. In 2003, another president was saved from deposition because of "Hello Garci" tape. In South Korea, a member of the Philippine diplomatic corpse was alleged to have shop-lifted a not so valuable item from a shopping mall.
My dear countrymen, especially our top to bottom leaders must behave to regain the respect of our people and of the world. If we want respect, let us respect ourselves first.
The guilty verdict meted on the plunder case of former president Joseph E. Estrada serves as warning to Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. "The decision presents a haunting prospect of criminal accountability for Ms. Arroyo after her presidency ends," wrote Amando Deronila in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The decision sets a successful reckoning of accountability after a presidency.
To recall, the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that an ousted leader is not immune from prosecution for criminal acts committed during his/her incumbency. As of today, Ms. Arroyo is now facing a number of negative issues which include the judicial killings of political activists. For the six years of her presidency, there seems to be taking place some corruption scandals over government transactions.
Numancia Agri-Aqua Project
The amazing agri-aqua project being operated and maintained by LGU Numancia led by then Mayor Ernesto and now Mayor Elverita Templo-nuevo earned approval of DA Secretary Arthur Yap. Among probable project sites to visit, Yap selected Barangay Badio, Numancia on August 31 after the blessing and unveiling of the bigger than life statue of Jaime Cardinal L. Sin in New Washington. Secretary Yap expressed his admiration to the flowers and ornamentals of the Numancia Horticulture Society, the vegetables, the vermicasting project, the fresh fish project among others.
Yap encouraged the Numanciahanons to expand the production and take advantage of the available markets in Kalibo and Boracay./MP