Warning that national security may be at stake, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson sought Wednesday a parallel Senate investigation into the anomalous $329-million national broadband network deal the Philippine government inked with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. Continue reading “Lacson Seeks Parallel Probe of $329-M ZTE Deal”
Against Corruption: A Clean Political Leadership – The Only Way
Speech before the Federation of Accredited Customs Brokers and Forwarders of the Philippines, Traders Hotel, Pasay City
I am very happy to be with you tonight. I have a message to give. But more importantly, I’d listen to yours.
To President Marivic Briones goes my gratitude for her very kind words; and earlier, to her very kind invitation. She is one lady whose word does not fall into a lapse of judgment.
I know where her heart is. It beats everyday for the amendment of Sec. 29 of RA 9280. Continue reading “Against Corruption: A Clean Political Leadership – The Only Way”
PIGS We are Not
Message to The Young Men of De Molay
This is the Year of the Pig. Fortune tellers start telling who is in and who is out, who will get killed and who will survive, who will get rich and who will get poor. And my first message is: You and I are not pigs. We were in created in the image of God. In short, hindi tayo baboy.
And that reminds me of a story.
Once upon a recent time, God sent a saint to earth. His mission was simple: persuade everyone to change his evil ways. The saint came to earth, went to Congress, visited the offices of the BIR and the Bureau of Customs, Malacañang and the LTO, but quite expectedly failed to persuade anyone. Discouraged, he went back to heaven and reported his failure. Continue reading “PIGS We are Not”
Where We Are
Speech before the Rotary Club of Manila
I feel honored today. It is good to be with you again. After all, it is not every week that one is given the chance to speak before the oldest of the country’s Rotary Clubs – certainly not the kind that Spokesman Toting Bunye has insulted.  I mean that to be the truth – not the truth that Malacanan Palace speaks and expresses each time we, Filipinos seek an explanation on Garcillano, on impeachment, on Venable and what have you.I feel honored today. It is good to be with you again. After all, it is not every week that one is given the chance to speak before the oldest of the country’s Rotary Clubs – certainly not the kind that Spokesman Toting Bunye has insulted.  I mean that to be the truth – not the truth that Malacanan Palace speaks and expresses each time we, Filipinos seek an explanation on Garcillano, on impeachment, on Venable and what have you.
The invitation of President Cesar made through fellow Rtn. Art to be your guest speaker today brings back good memories. This is the group to whom I delivered my first major address when I became Chief of the Philippine National Police in November 1999. I remember that was upon the invitation of a good friend and mentor and now a Senator and a distinguished colleague, the Hon. Alfredo S. Lim.
It was easy then to deliver my speech. There was a strong clamor for reforms in our country’s police force. In that address before you, I defined my response and vision. I remember talking about the ICU’s among the police – the inept, corrupt and undisciplined. At that time, I was already thinking of my antidote against the ICU’s. It was AID – aptitude, integrity, discipline. Continue reading “Where We Are”
Past, Imperfect/Future, Tense: The Road Ahead For The Philippines
Speech before Filipino-Indian Chamber of Commerce
I am very honored tonight to address your chamber. But the real honor belongs to the new leaders of the chamber. Tonight is their night. Tonight begins the first night of the rest of their lives. To them I convey my best wishes!
The invitation of President Ram Sitaldas was very forthright. In fact, he asked me to cover the subject he bluntly described as Past Imperfect, Future Tense. He made no reference to the present. Thus, I assume that the present is both imperfect and tense…
President Sitaldas is right. The imperfect past is a reality made permanent by history. Our most reasonable response can only be this: there is no saint without a past. Time to leave our past to God’s mercy. Continue reading “Past, Imperfect/Future, Tense: The Road Ahead For The Philippines”