PATALSIKIN

KUNG kami ang tatanungin, mas nanaisin namin na sipain ang mga pulitiko sa larangan ng palakasan. Wala silang gaanong kontribusyon sa ikauunlad ng palakasan. Sila pa nga ang dahilan kung bakit magulo ang larangan ng sports sa bansa. Sa maikli, hindi sila kailangan ng palakasan.

Noong Biyernes, ipinataw ng Sandiganbayan ang pagkakabilanggo ng mula anim hanggang walong taon kay Kin. Prospero Pichay Jr. ng Surigao del Sur dahil sa paggamit ng P1.5 milyon pondo ng Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) sa isang torneo ng ahedres. Tinanggal rin ang kanyang karapatang pulitikal na humawak ng anumang puwesto sa gobyerno – halal o appointed.

Dating LWUA chair si Pichay. Kinakatawan ni Pichay ang national sports association (NSA) sa larong chess sa Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). Bilang protesta sa kanyang pamumuno, pumunta sa Estados Unidos si Wesley So at naglalaro na para sa watawat ng bansang umampon sa kanya. Nawalan ng pambato ang Filipinas sa ahedres.

Bilang pangulo ng POC, kinunsinti ni Kin. Bambol Tolentino ng Cavite ang hindi agarang pagsusumite ng audited financial statement ng Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) sa mga gastusin sa 2019 SEA Games. Mistulang binigyan ng proteksyon ni Bambol Tolentino ang pinatalsik na ispiker ng Kamara de Representante na si Alan Peter Cayetano, ang tagapagtatag at pasimunog ng PHISGOC, isang pribadong organisasyon na nangasiwa at nagpatakso sa SEAG.

Si Bambol Tolentino pa ang may ganang magmungkahi na bigyan ng “sapat na panahon” ang PHISGOC upang ihanda at isumite ang financial report. Nakalimutan ni Bambol na walong buwan ng naantala ang pagsusumite ng financial statement. Nakatakdang ibigay ang financial report noong ika-9 ng Pebreoo, ngunit hindi naibigay ng PHISGOC sa hindi malaman na kadahilanan.

Dumating ang pandemya at tuluyang nabalam ang pagbibigay ng financial statement. May mga sapantaha na binibigyan ni Bambol ng pagkakataon ang grupo ni Cayetano na madoktor ang financial statement. Masyadong malaki ang gastos sa SEAG. Umabot sa P6.8 bilyon. Nagbigay ang gobyerno ng P1.4 bilyon na tulong sa PHISGOC sa pamamagitan ng Philippine Sports Commission.

May pasaring na ginagamit lamang ng mga pulitiko ang palakasan upang mapaangat ang kanilang career sa pulitika. May komentaryo na maiging platform ang sports upang makapagnakaw sa pondo ng bayan. Hindi biro ang panawagan na sipain ang mga pulitiko sa sports. Ibang klase ang mga pulitiko.

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MAY katabilan si Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. Hindi nababagay para sa isang sundalo na ang training ay pumuksa ng kaaway ng bansa. Malaking suliranin niya ang kawalan niya ng kakayahan na pumili ng mga angkop na salita sa kanyang mga pahayag. Hayaan ninyong ibahagi ko ang post ng aming kaibigan na si Roly Eclevia, isang mamamahayag. Pakibasa:

“Lt Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. tells actress Lisa Soberano to “abdicate that group,” referring to Gabriela, which to his mind is a communist front.

“He could use abjure or abnegate to convey, if only tangentially, what he has in mind, but he is too ignorant to know the meanings and nuances of words, their denotation and connotation.

“We’ll forgive him his bad English. After all, Salvador Panelo and Martin Andanar, who are supposedly trained in the language, speak a kind of pidgin English.

“There is no excuse, however, for incompetence as a soldier because he has embraced the profession of arms as a career. Forget about protecting the country’s sovereignty against the Chinese invaders.

“He and the AFP, with tens of thousands of officers and men, cannot defeat a few hundred rebels and end the longest insurgency in the world.”

Hindi namin mapigil ang sarili ng magpaskel ng aming post sa social media. Pakibasa: “When soldiers overtalk, we have a big problem. Who’ll defend us from invasion? Not those charlatans in military uniforms.” Ani Rosemarie Villanueva, isang netizen: “Mas mabilis magkasa ng bibig kesa ng baril.”

Sapagkat purong Kapampangan ang aking ina, hindi naming pinigilan ang aming sarili at ito ang aming post. “The Kapampangans would describe him in these words: DALAHIRANG SUNDALO. Masakit sa bangs. Hindi bagay. O kaya dalahirang heneral … Kahit alin sa dalawa… Dalahira pa rin.”

Ito pa ang isa naming post: “Delfin Lorenzana’s message to Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. was simple: Put up or shut up. He’d shut up for sure. His fossilized brain won’t come out with something new.”

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QUOTE UNQUOTE: “The message is starkly clear to anyone but the vengeful. There is no evidence because she is completely innocent. The only evidence is fake sleaze stories promoted by trolls and purchased testimony of convicts. Sen De Lima is a victim of the dirty business of guilt by tagging.” – Joe America, netizen

“Nung pinakawalan ni Duterte si Benito Tiamzon na kumander ng NPA na nahuli ng AFP na ngayon ay nag-uutos ng mga pag-ambush ng mga sundalo, wala namang umimik na general. Pero pag mga artista na nag-eexpress ng saloobin, maraming pabibo.” – Sonny Trillanes

“The Philippines is actually a big and wealthy country. But after the crooks, political locusts, fat cats, corrupt officials and appointee swine are through taking their cuts, it isn’t that wealthy any more.” – Alan Robles, journalist, netizen

“There’s no more such thing as national security issues when it comes to Chinese. Our government welcomed them with open arms.” – Roger Rueda, netizen

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MAYROON kaming isinulat ilang araw bago sinibak si Cayetano bilang ispiker at pinalitan ni Lord Allan Velasco na kilala bilang Ispiker LAV. Ngayon, hindi naging oposisyon si Cayetano. Pumoposisyon pa rin. Hindi nga lang malaman kung ano. Hindi pa rin siya nagsumite ng anumang impeachment complaint laban sa kanyang amo. Pakibasa:

“Will APC be the new political opposition? As Alan Peter Cayetano burns his bridge with the ruling coalition, the question: Will he emerge as the new center of political gravity in Phl politics and become the political opposition? No, not even in his wildest dream. Alan Peter Cayetano is perceived as an unscrupulous politician, who would do anything and everything – fair and foul – just to keep himself in power. But he could be the third force. Unfortunately, the third force hardly becomes the first or second force. History shows it always end up the loser. To become the third force is to become a loser.

“Alan Peter Cayetano could end up the political bedbug, or “surot.” He could annoy the ruling coalition. Or it could engage in the politics of money,” or as what netizen Manuel Laserna Jr. has said: “nagpapataas lang ng presyo.” APC would not and would never be the political opposition. He does not stand for anything lofty or admirable. He has no advocacy but money. He could entice some followers, but they could hardly pursue changes because they do not stand up for anything or something. What we have is a political charade. Eventually, Rodrigo Duterte would have to axe him just to prove he is no lameduck.”

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HINDI lamang Punong Tagapagpaganap at Commander-in-Chief ng Armed Forces ang presidente. Siya rin ang ama ng bansa. Siya rin ang tagahilom ng sugat ng hidwaan. Pakibasa ang paglilinaw:

“The President is the chief executive and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The 1987 Constitution says so. The letter of the Constitution is clear on his powers. Beyond what is written in the Constitution, the President exercises what could be his biggest role. As president of the more than 100 million Filipinos (that is without exception), he is the father of the nation and the virtual healer-in-chief.

“He provides the healing presidency. As the healer-in-chief, he leads in healing wounds of various strife and struggle among Filipinos. A president, who could not provide the comforting words for his people, does not deserve to be the president. He may or may not finish his term of office, but he would not get an iota of respect from his subjects.”