Enter the New York Times

They were the same things that media, especially the national ones, had been repeating over and over again, and most of the quotations cited had appeared in the Philippine dailies regularly. But it was very different when the statements and the analysis appeared in the prestigious New York Times, one of the most influential and most widely circulated newspapers in the United States, that is also read and listened to through around the world.

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Was it only coincidence, or was there a design to time the appearance of the Seth Mydans articles and the editorial of the NYT on the birthday of President Arroyo? So far, we have not yet heard spokesman Ignacio Bunye saying that his boss is "unfazed" by the stinging editorial of the NYT. The subject herself has not - up to late last night, at least - commented on the articles, but it is not likely that she has not read or is unaware of their existence.

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Even if neither she nor the member of her family had not known about it, they would surely have found out from the cackling and fluttering of the people in the Palace who have been running around like beheaded chickens while denouncing the statements in the Times. Even in the U.S. our ambassador has reportedly hied off to the NYT offices to complain, er, explain to the bosses there that what they had published was untrue, and damaging to the country's image. Our man in the United Nation has been making appropriate noises, too.

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I am sure today's national papers will have the items reprinted, or intensively quoted, in their pages, so the STAR will desist from doing the same. We will only mention that the Mydans article has for its title "The Philippines wages a campaign of intimidation against journalists" and quotes (accurately, it must be conceded) from the pronouncements of such key personalities in the past months as Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Police Chief Arturo Lomibao, Maria Ressa of ABS-CBN and Sheila Coronel of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

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As for the now poker-faced Mr. Bunye, his rejoinder to the NYT contains this statement: "I think all members of the media community will attest to the fact that press freedom is alive and well in the Philippines". I think he should exempt Ninez Olivares and her Daily Tribune Staff, Sheila and her PCIJ writers, and even Billy Esposo who may want to speak up even if he is nursing a damaged liver, or is it kidney? As for us here in the boondocks, as the late unlamented Ferdinand Marcos reportedly used to say, "Never mind them, they're only mosquitoes".

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In the meantime, let's just observe how the Thaksin decision will be interpreted by the international community. Thaksin Shinawatra was prime minister for about five years and a lot of rumblings were already being heard throughout that time. The last straw was apparently the deal he made in his private capacity with a Singaporean company involving some US$3 billion on which he paid no taxes. Probably hadn't heard of that old saw about the only things that are sure to beat you being death and taxes.

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In the United Kingdom, meanwhile, the problem of the aspiring royal couple is that, even after all these years, the British people are still not willing to have the great love of their prince as their queen. The latest survey taken showed 56 percent of Britons still do not like the idea of a Queen Camilla. A consort, maybe, but not a queen, because the women, especially, cannot forgive her for two-timing their beloved Princess Diana by continuing to be Charles' mistress all throughout the marriage. They ought to take a survey of Filipino women, too. By the way, the poll was taken by the popular London paper, The Times. Oh the morals and the Times!

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By the way again, the title of the NYT editorial was "Dark days for Philippine democracy". I do think Malacañang will find it a bit harder to quash this claim if the American people saw last night's TV footages of rallyists being hosed down with water cannons in Manila. The sight might even lead to President Bush's listening to the editorial's suggestion for him to do something about what's happening in the Philippines. Oh dear me.*

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