Let's honor
hubby on GMA b-day

Yesterday was President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's birthday. She turned 59. But what I liked in the news was an item in The Inquirer about the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. He was given the credit for what he has contributed to the presidency. I would go for Mike to be the one to bask in her glory. He was punished enough by critics and media.

Since last year when he was guest speaker at the induction of our Negros Press Club we became friends. And when he came to Bacolod I saw to it I greeted him. No other purpose, but just to greet.

The Inquirer article said it. Mike Arroyo is a good man and I could feel it. And that he was responsible for his wife becoming President because he was always very supportive. Comparing the two couple Presidents, the article said, both Imelda and Mike have common traits of being supportive and hard worker. The only difference was Imelda was a charmer but Mike turns some people off but both are effective.

* * *

I was very much pleased during my induction last year when Mike asked me to make him a member of the Negros Press Club. Thinking there was no problem I went ahead and inducted him.

But some people didn't like him that led to the resignation of the Club vice-president and secretary which was a blessing because I chose my own vice-president, Amado Villacarlos who is now the president and for secretary lawyer Ben Jochico.

They brought the matter to the national media that led Mike to call me he would resign "just to have peace in your club."

I said, I was for standing by him on what I did but he insisted he better resign. He said, his promise of health care, given voluntarily by him, for club members still stood.

I told him, no. It is not good that people who do not agree with you would be a recipient of your help. I insisted on my no. Because I have always been supportive of Mike Arroyo, some people think I have been a recipient of his kindness, knowing his generosity. Never! And never did I ask for one favor.

I did not agree with President Arroyo all the time. Only fawning media people do that. But I agree and support many of her programs like the Charter Change to parliamentary system of government. And on People's Initiative.

* * *

While writing this portion I got a text from a Belgian friend, Andre de Hertog who said he was surprised why I am for people's initiative when people don't know what constitution is all about and that it's also an initiative based on personal interest and the people sign only for the money they get.

I texted Andre back that we are racing against time and I want a change earlier. If we have to wait until people know what a constitution is, we will never be able to amend our constitution.

I am also for amending the provisions on the constitution that do not allow foreign investors to own lands. This is impractical. Even the US allows foreigners to own lands.

My other friend, a Brit Neil Honeyman texted me no problem for foreigners to own lands. If they misbehave they can easily be thrown out. "If I misbehave, Josephine can throw me out," Neil said.

Well, this provision is inserted by the leftists in the group of former President Cory Aquino who detests foreigners. This was before USSR threw out communism and China was not yet a capitalist.

* * *

The Opposition said it would question the legality of the People's Initiative in the Supreme Court. If we believe in the principle that all government authority emanates from the people, how can People's Initiative be wrong when it's the people's decision.

The problem can only be in the credibility of Comelec which has long been shattered. But, let the Opposition prove that the signatures were forged. They file cases against the forgers.

Supreme Court Justices must "pierce the curtain of the future and give shape to mysteries still in the womb of time…"

Let me quote US Chief Justice Felix Frankfurter addressing the judges and his speech published in the New York Times Magazine issue of Nov. 28, 1954. Said Justice Franfurter:

"A judge should be compounded of the faculties that are demanded of the historian and the philosopher and of the prophet. The last demand upon him - to make some forecast of the consequences of his action - is perhaps the heaviest.

"To pierce the curtain of the future, to give shape and visage to mysteries still in the womb of time, is the gift of the imagination. It requires poetic sensibilities with which judges are rarely endowed and which their education does not normally develop.

"These judges must have something of the creative artist in them; they must have antennae registering feeling and judgment beyond logical, let alone quantitative proof."

* * *

Police said it is bracing itself for NPA attacks on Holy Week. This is expected, especially after President Arroyo has ordered to step up the campaign against the armed group.

Attacks come only when they see the police are lax. Naturally they study the situation first. They do not attack at random. The police have many lessons to learn. The attack in Isabela, then in Sagay were discussed by Corpus in his book.

When the NPAs attacked Manapla and Sgt. Reynaldo Ganadillo was prepared, the NPA suffered heavy casualties. Vigilance is still the word.*

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