Written by Daisy Brett-Holt | 09 March 2010

As a registered charity organisation, Philippine Jury International (PJI/PhilJury) has to remain neutral in the coming election but each member can support their own individual candidate.  The duty of the organisation is to present the opinions and the issues that are engulfing the whole election process.

Corruption is an issue that has mesmerized, exasperated or infuriated most Filipinos.  Political scandals that smack of bribery of politicians in high places is so common place.  So much so that corruption has become the food seasoning to the Filipino staple food _ rice.  Most especially if rice is the only food they eat!

Corruption dominates the election issues much more than the platform of each candidate.  And why not; the candidates’ platforms become meaningless anyway after the election, whoever wins.  After the election, the people then just go back to whatever they were doing before.

The winners, alas, the winners start recouping what they invested in their campaign and more.  The people, on the other hand, talk, complain and then NOTHING.  There is still no solution to our age-old problem of CORRUPTION.  When will we ever learn?  When will we find a solution?

So who are we going to vote for this time; the leading contenders are all corrupt anyway?  Here are three things we can do:

1. Vote for the lesser of two evils;
2. Vote for  an honest candidate who has no chance of winning; or
3. Boycott the election.

Let us start with the first choice _ VOTE FOR THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS.  Below is a forwarded email I got from friends.  They seem to agree that Noynoy is the lesser of the two evils.  Why?  Read for yourself.

A musing from WINNIE MONSOD:

Villar still refuses to attend the Senate to face questions, and it only reminds me of how GMA used the privilege of her office to avoid questioning.  What will happen if Villar wins and more corruption scandals surface?

With Villar catching up to Noynoy in the polls, I am honestly quite terrified of the prospect of him winning.  There is a clear case of graft in this instance, and instead of delving into the issues, his allies in the legislative are simply brushing off the allegations as "politically motivated".  As a citizen, we should not accept this.  If there is smoke, we must see if there is a fire that needs to be put out.  Yes, the timing of the allegations seem a bit off. ( Joker Arroyo was pushing these issues as early as 1998). A known crook and political opportunist, Juan Ponce Enrile, is the person leading the censure. However, when the facts are presented, it is clear as day that something is amiss.  It just further builds on my strong suspicions that Villar is a businessman simply looking to control the political arena to make a boat load of money.

I have never trusted Villar since day one.  I never trust businessmen who enter politics, because in the end, their core value is and always will be profit maximization.   It is well documented that Villar's real estate empire ran into some serious financial problems when his overexposure to the real estate market and the Asian Financial Crisis made him unable to pay debts he took out to expand his real estate business in the early 1990s.  After the Asian Crisis hit, Capitol Bank, owned by Villar and heavily exposed to his real estate investments was essentially ran to the ground and needed to be bailed out.  In 2005, Villar tried to solve his debt problems by hiring a group of investment banks to advise him on how he can consolidate all his assets into one company (Vista Land).  With the local and foreign investment bankers, Villar came up with a growth story for investors: "Invest in my company because we need it to fund all these wonderful project!"  However, what was downplayed during the IPO roadshow was that instead of financing growth, resources from the offering would be used to finance his debt.  To appease creditors, Villar even had his investment bankers pitch some form of a debt-to-equity conversion that raised skeptical eyebrows of many.  In 2007, the IPO of Vista Land did not do as well as planned, in part because many investors and brokers were the same people who were burned by Villar's inability to pay back his loans.

Now, as part of a corporate growth (or should I say corporate restructuring) plan, Villar is lusting for the highest position in the land.  This scares me because Villar already has a track record of using his political position to gain the upper hand for his businesses.  To save his empire and increase shareholder value of his business, Villar used his influence as Senate Finance Chair to shrewdly derail a Cavite road project that was supposed to be BUILD, OPERATE, and TRANSFER.  Villar built a longer and more expensive road, the C-5 extension, adjacent to it; subsequently forcing the private investor in the initial project to pull out.  The fishy thing is that this new road, longer and more expensive than the previously planned project, passed through all of Villar's land in Cavite.  It is a clear case of graft, pointing to Villar use of influence and government funds to substantially improve the values of his real estate properties.  To add insult to injury the right of way the government would have to pay in order to complete the project was substantially higher for the land that Villar owned.  These funds could have easily been used to build needed schools.

This scandal should be a red flag for all voters.  However, the scary part is that Villar is spending billions to keep this out of the picture as he continues his attempt to brainwash our masses that he is their saviour.  He convinces the masses that he is one of them_a poor boy from the slums of Tondo.   In actuality, he is more like the 5-6 and syndicates, slum dwellers themselves who make a profit out of their poor brethren.  Villar's ad agencies are doing an excellent job of maintaining this image as well as doing damage control.  TV and radio continues to churn out Parokya Ni Edgaresque jingles that compete with "Nobody, Nobody".   Dolphy is Villar's new spokesperson and Wowowee is one giant ad for him.  In this process of brainwashing, the masses are not cognizant of how Villar conducts business as a politician.  What they do not see is a man hell bent on turning our archipelago into his own personal piece of real estate.

It is sad that the efforts of Juan Ponce Enrile, who is leading the censure for Villar, is actually giving Villar more sympathy votes.  People do no trust Enrile, and when Enrile pounces on someone, it is usually met with a high degree of skepticism.  I do not blame people for feeling this way.  I also think Enrile is a crook who should be jailed for conspiring to implement Martial Law, for coup attempts, and for the human rights abuses during the Marcos regime.  If someone with a more respectable reputation were to level these charges on Villar, I am sure the surveys would tell a different story.

I also fear from some credible reports that Malacanang has actually made a deal with Villar (under the table).  Essentially, GMA's goons said, "We will help you, in return, leave us alone when you win".  Villar's behaviour in recent forums further adds credence to these reports as Villar has been very tame and quiet when it comes to how he will treat GMA after the elections.   Appealing to common sense, it makes ALL THE SENSE for GMA to support someone who has a chance of winning, not a person rating at 4% in the surveys.  GMA tried to reach out to Noynoy after Tita Cory died.  All she got was rejection.

Who can stop Villar in his quest for the presidency?

I am known to be a Noynoy supporter, but to those skeptics and to those who are still undecided, I do concede that he is not perfect.  His record as a politician is average and unspectacular at best.  He does not have the charisma of his father.  Before the death of his mother, he did not get much mileage.  But I am going all out in support for Noynoy in 2010 because he stands for clean governance and appear willing to accomplish this.  In addition, he has the best chance of preventing a opportunistic businessman, the assured next President of our country before Cory died, from using the Office of the President as a personal growth asset to his business empire.

Noynoy's clean record is a big plus for me.  It is a trait that I think should be the most important quality that we should look for in our next president.  His appeal is that his track record is not tarnished by corruption scandals and his political debts are minimal.  I know that many critics are trying to make an issue over his involvement in Hacienda Luisita, but Noynoy is not even heavily involved in the company.  As a shareholder, Noynoy only owns .04% of Hacienda Luisita, a drop in the ocean and hardly in any position to do something about it.  The case of the Hacienda does not have the substance that the C-5 extension controversy has a lot of.

In addition, Nonoy also has an incredible legacy to live up to.  All the pressure is on him to be clean and stay clean.  He can't afford to tarnish the Aquino name and the immense legacy that his parents left behind.  Cory and Ninoy practically sacrificed their family for their dream of a better Philippines. For Noynoy, to know that your father and mother went through so much hardship to improve our country is a heavy burden to think about if you do decide to become a crook and destroy everything that they fought for.

We all have to make a choice. In my opinion, it has to go to the presidentiable who has an independent mind, stands up for what he believes in, is clean, and has the legacy his parents to live up to and maintain.  For me, Nonoy, with all his flaws, is that candidate.  For what this country needs is a clean president who can set an example top-down for the entire state; it needs a president with the will to change things and stamp out corruption; it needs a President who can set an example and is willing to perfect our dysfunctional democracy.

I want someone who stands for being clean.  He does not need a degree from Harvard. He does not need to have a multi-million peso business to show me he can make us all rich.  He does not have to speak well. He just has to be clean.  Nothing else should matter.  He has to prioritize a platform of clean and effective governance and make sure that it delivers on that promise.  Policies on the economy, education, energy, environment and health can all follow after the fundamentals are taken cared of.  So far, the only candidate who promotes my vision with a clean record to back it up is Noynoy.

Our urban landscape is replete with political slogans that attempt to convince people of certain candidate's ability to lead our nation

Galing at Talino?  Sorry Gibo, those were the supposed qualities of GMA, rubber stamped with a Phd in Economics.  And what happened?  She only worsened our economy.  To GMA's credit she did balance our budget at one point, but it has again ballooned to the level where the next president will have to deal with the same economic issues she faced in 2005.  During GMA's watch investment in infrastructure was insufficient, poverty incidence worsened, public education deteriorated, our nautical highway is still incomplete, goons like the Ampatuan's flourished in the south, and a culture of corruption flourished in our institutions.  Instead of creating jobs, GMA focused on a policy of exporting labor without measuring the social costs of such a policy- thousands of broken OFW families and children of OFW's who do not have the proper parental supervision to teach them the differences between right and wrong.  In effect, our next generation is left on their own to figure out how to become empowered patriots who love their country and will fight to defend it.  In effect, whatever statistics in GDP growth GMA and her allies love to advertise, none of it trickled down and benefitted the poor..and none of it accounts for the social costs to her policies.

Good speaker?  Sorry Gibo, Marcos had that quality and he did nothing good for our country.  In fact, Marcos squandered the opportunity to be our Lee Kuan Yew and Dr. Mahatir.  If I want a good, charismatic, and eloquent speaker, let's just run down the list of effective public speakers and vote them in.

Para sa mahirap?  Sorry Erap, you had your chance and failed miserably.  Your only accomplishment is in convincing our masses that movie roles do not carry over into the political area.

My only concern with Noynoy is how deep he might be in the Liberal Party and whether he has accumulate political debts to Liberal trapos.  The Liberal PArty, like any party, has its own share of crooks (including those bandwagon trapos who jumped off GMA"s boat to ride on Aquino's popularity).  How much will Nonoy have to give back to the Liberal trapos (and bandwagon Liberals who jumped GMA's ship) if elected?  We will never know.  However, I am willing to live with that unanswered question if it means preventing someone like Villar from turning the Philippines into Vista Land's next subdivision development.  I am also reassured by the fact that he has that "Aquino" name and the ghosts of his parents to answer to if does decide to go down the immoral path.

Nonoy will not solve all our problems.  One person can't.  But we need a start somewhere and it should be with someone who pushes honesty, reform, and good governance.  It will be a tough battle, but I want to give Noynoy the chance to build on what his mother tried to accomplish.  And I hope that if Noynoy wins, he will have the courage to make tough decisions and go after crooks, even if it means hurting a lot of friends and colleagues in government.

To give you a better sense on how Villar conducts business, here is also a link to Joker Arroyo's 1998 privilege speech:

http://www.malayang halalan.com/ 2010/01/26/ joker-arroyo- raises-issue- of-accountabilit y-of-public- officers- against-manny- villar/

Actual notes scanned: http://www.scribd. com/doc/22789941 /Joker-Arroyo- Privilege- Speech

I guess "if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck.." Well, as the saying goes......

Vote wisely Philippines.  And continue to work towards uplifting the masses and freeing them from their state of hopelessness.  Defend them from opportunists. DEVELOP THEM (FIRST) SPIRITUALLY AND BEHAVIORALLY; THEN ECONOMICALLY! When we lift up the poor and wean them off the mentality of hopelessness, our country will become first world.  Only then will we have the powerful middle class that our young democracy is screaming for.     From WINNIE MONSOD

The second choice is “VOTE FOR AN HONEST CANDIDATE WHO HAS NO CHANCE OF WINNING”. This is probably the noblest thing to do.  However, what guarantee has the Filipinos  got that this candidate, if he wins, will not turn out as the only good red apple in a bag of rotten apples?  President Cory Aquino was our only good red apple.  She was our only hope but she became ineffective because she was surrounded by the “Balato Boys” and other corrupt politicians who opposed her every move.

The last choice is “BOYCOTT THE ELECTION”. This is easy to do.  You just stay in bed on Election Day, read the papers and watch the television.  Just let the others decide for you! Where is your sense of PATRIOTISM?  Or have you lost it already?

Philippine Jury International’s advice is for you to vote for who you want.  But write a letter to your candidate stating that you will vote for him or voted for him in the hope that he will support the INCORPORATION OF THE JURY SYSTEM INTO OUR JUDICIAL LAWS.

This letter will be like a snowflake.  One on its own will disappear and be forgotten in seconds.  Several will disappear in the same way, but will be remarked upon.  More will remain but will have no effect apart from looking pretty.  Even more might cause pedestrians to slip but will have no effect on cars.  Even more will require salting of the roads.  Even more will have a significant effect on the use of the road just like the recent snow storms in the UK and America.

Many letters that say the same thing will be recognised by the politicians and the media.

Vote for who you want but send them your snowflake!  Let us call this our “Snowflake Campaign” and pass on this article or website to your friends and relations.

MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!  It is the only one we have got.