It’s no laughing matter: Warning GMA of a Thaksin scenario

I watched with a sense of irony the warning of militant groups that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may suffer the same fate as deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaskin Shinawatra if she does not stop her anti-people policies.

Similar warnings were aired in Bacolod, Iloilo and other areas of the country by militants and anti-Arroyo forces, as if a military coup is the sure solution to her ouster. In short, that a military rule is preferable to the democratic setup regardless of its deficiencies.

I wonder whether these leaders underwent the rigors of life under martial law and experienced military rule.

These elements may have become so obfuscated by their hatred of GMA; they never gave a second thought that the very solution they were advocating — a military takeover — is the one they have been so vigorously opposing as "undeclared martial law."

A very limited vision of what could happen if they could provoke the military takeover.

Instead of thanking the Armed Forces for not getting involved in trying to settle political disputes by taking power for themselves, they seem to be using the threat of a military takeover as a magic cleansing, without realizing the implications if that happens.

I just wonder what will be their reaction if that wish comes true. Many of them might end up gnashing their teeth and ruining the day they had used to. It was a warning for President Arroyo to give up her post to which she had been elected.

Questions, questions and questions

Petron has assured that it would at least siphon off the remaining bunker fuel in the hold of the sunken Solar I. But pointed out Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon, that was an open-ended vow and asked that Petron set a specific timeframe for it.

Marañon stressed that it is good that Petron vice president for marketing Jose Campos gave assurances that Petron would pursue the removal of the remaining fuel. He is asking the firm for a definite timetable for the removal.

Valladolid Mayor Ricardo Presbitero aired the same view, pointing out that until the fuel is removed, Negrenses cannot let their guard down as they may also be hit by an oil spill from Solar I.

Yesterday, Vic Defante of the Provincial Disaster Management Council alerted the mayors of coastal towns in southern Negros Occidental that the wind may change sometime in November and could steer the oil spill southward.

TV footages showed residents of Cauayan town still busy readying their oil spill booms in preparation for a massive spill. Cauayan has the longest shoreline exposed to contamination should the bunker fuel still in the hold of Solar I be finally released by natural action or by an expanded seepage of the oil still in the hold of the sunken tanker.

Until that remaining fuel is siphoned off, Presbitero said, "Our lives will not return to normal."

What makes it problematic is that there have lately been no updates on whether negotiations for the Norwegian salvage vessel have been completed or not.

Regional health director Lydia Depra-Ramos also stressed the need for Petron to remove the oil debris to reduce the threat to the health of the people of Guimaras.

The DOH has been treating 20 to 45 Guimarasnons daily. Ramos added that people involved in the cleanup drive should only work five hours a day if they have proper protective gear and should be between 20 and 50 years old.

And, yes, no word has been received further on the discovery by the local authorities attempts by Petron to lease local land for possible dumping sites (temporary holding areas) for the oil debris.

In one place, the local officials immediately ordered the debris loaded onto tracks to be ferried to barges waiting to bring them to a cement plant in Mindanao. Another already had the land bulldozed despite the fact that it was supposed to be only for a short duration.

Incidentally, Visayan Daily Star’s Nestor Burgos reported Wednesday that a tugboat hired by Petron to tow a barge loaded with oil debris was found with questionable documents.

This is reportedly the third time that Petron has contracted a vessel with irregular papers.

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) reportedly discovered discrepancies in the engines’ propulsion capacity of MT Marc of the Asian Shipping Corp.

Oh, well, in the face of discoveries by the Special Marine Board of Inquiry of alleged violations by the oil firm of various maritime regulations and also those by Sunshine Development Development Corp., questions have started to be raised as to whether the insurers would pay as much as they earlier had claimed by both Petron and the Solar I firm.

That’s the reason for Marañon’s insistence apparently for Petron to come up with a firm timetable on when the remaining bunker fuel would be siphoned off.

Lately, however, there has been a deafening silence from the various government agencies involved in the Guimaras oil spill. That’s the most alarming turn of events.

Meloto receives Haydee Yorac award

Negrense Antonio Meloto, who recently won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Gawad Kalinga, grabbed another award. He became the first recipient of the Gawad Haydee Yorac for outstanding visionary leadership and compelling philosophy that inspired a pioneering sustainable movement of volunteerism to eradicate poverty through the Gawad Kalinga.

The Haydee Yorac Award is a project of Meralco and the University of the Philippines.

The citation credited Meloto for "giving hope and dignity to marginalized Filipino families by building homes and model communities in the Filipino spirit of bayanihan, emulating selfless public service espoused by the late Haydee Yorac."

GK, as it is commonly called, Meloto said, is coordinating with Marañon and 22 mayors of Negros Occidental for the implementation of GK projects in the province.

Meloto said the P200,000 Yorac Award will be given to the G-Care Gawad Kalinga’s healthcare program.

That’s another award which Meloto truly deserves.

ADDENDUM. The Negros Oriental police and the National Bureau of Investigation arrested Thursday a Canadian national and his Filipina common-law wife for alleged violation of the Mail Order Bride Law, or RA 6955. Both were caught in an entrapment operation. The couple were Canadian Stuart Nave and his common-law wife identified as Rheazhan Janlani. The entrapment was conducted at the Ex-Box Internet café on San Juan st., Dumaguete City. A female police officer posed as an applicant and reportedly paid P1,000. Since February this year, Janlani has registered some 400 local girls. Nave reportedly acted as guide to foreigners who come to Dumaguete in search of local brides. The NBI said the couple violated the Mail Order Bride Law and both the police and the law agency are readying charges against them.