Gloria ‘on ropes,’ should fire advisers

PRESIDENT Macapagal-Arroyo has been badly served by her advisers who came up with such ill-advised and divisive policies as the calibrated pre-emptive response to rallies and the prohibition of Masses for the opposition in the churches near Malacañang, an administration senator said yesterday.

“The President should fire some of her advisers. They are letting [non-issues] become issues,” Sen. Richard Gordon said at the weekly Kapihan sa Sulo breakfast forum.

In remarks to reporters after the forum, Gordon said the President was “very ill-advised.”

“She’s drawing more flak.... I look at Gloria as somebody on the ropes. The President is afraid to do anything,” he said.

Gordon asked why the administration could not just let the anti-Arroyo protesters be. He said government officials should not infringe on the freedom of expression.

As for the request of the Presidential Security Group commander, Brig. Gen. Delfin Bangit, for the churches near the Palace to disallow Masses attended by anti-Arroyo forces, Gordon said Bangit “should have consulted lawyers, good lawyers.”

“A leadership that is afraid cannot lead.... A poor leadership that is afraid cannot make changes,” he said.

Gordon said the President should meet with the opposition.

“We already know what we disagree about. Let’s talk about what we can agree on,” he said.

Gordon said there were five things that Ms Arroyo should do to show that she was doing something concrete for the people.

He said the President should run after criminals, generate jobs by shifting the budget priorities to tourism and trade, boost tax collection, close the gap in education and health, and make the government “fast, fair, firm, friendly and forward-looking.”

“The government must stop going around the ropes and start hitting the right spots,” Gordon said.

By Norman Bordadora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=54969

Arroyo gov’t falters in boosting Tourism, Investment

Davao City – Senator Richard Gordon has lamented the failure of the Arroyo government to allocate funds for the promotion of tourism and for generation of foreign investments.

Sen. Gordon told the Davao media the other day that “what we have right now is a defensive budget that doesn’t prepare us for economic growth. We need to review our priorities and allocate funds to the departments which can boost our economy by bringing the investment opportunities.”

Gordon scored the government’s proposed budget for appropriating any money to push tourism and set the conditions that would make the country attractive to foreign investors.

He recalled that during the recent briefing to the Senate Committee on Finance, the proposed budget seemed focused solely on bridging the fiscal gap, with little or no attention been given to “pump priming” activities such as tourism and foreign investments promotion which, by their very nature, would create jobs and bring in foreign currency whose multiplier effect would most certainly be felt by our countrymen.

Gordon was here as keynote speaker of the Mindanao wide Red Cross Chapter in this city. He also had a meeting with the media and discussed a number of current issues.

‘Tourism is the country’s engine of growth and it’s the only the bright spot in the administration today. It is the fastest way to earn the dollars that we need, but sadly the Department of Tourism (DoT) isn’t even in the top ten priority department for next year’s budget.” Gordon exclaimed.

The top three priority departments in the proposed budget are the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of National Defense (DND).

Gordon disclosed that he had long been pushing for the provision of adequate funds for tourism and generation of foreign investments.

The senator enjoined Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Romulo Neri to be more vigorous in advising the executive on the utilization of its resources pursuant to the attainment of its development goal.

In the same briefing, Gordon suggested the need for the Bangko ng Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the banks under its jurisdiction to exert more efforts geared towards allowing our less privileged countrymen greater access to micro-finance lending activities to encourage entrepreneurship.

Gil Abarico
Manila Bulletin
25 October 2005

5 things to do, for GMA

Senator Richard Gordon yesterday urged President Arroyo to immediately address five urgent concerns "to prove her sincerity in governing the nation."

"The President needs to show that she is doing something concrete for the people," said Gordon, adding, "and so I propose the five things that PGMA should do right away."

Gordon enumerated the five things that PGMA should do: 1) run after the criminals – the smugglers, kidnappers, and drug traffickers; 2) generate jobs – shift budget to tourism and trade, the two main fund-generating departments of the country; 3) boost up tax collection and tax the "wants and not the needs;" 4) close the social gap in education and health; and 5) make the government "fast, fair, firm, friendly, and forward-looking in public service."

"The government must stop going around the ropes and should start hitting the right spots," said Gordon.

According to Gordon, the ongoing Senate investigation on smuggling, for instance, has exposed the amount of money that the government has lost because of rampant illegal importation of right-hand drive vehicles. He said that having obtained the correct information, the government must now do the necessary action and run after the smugglers.

He also emphasized that the people need more job opportunities to empower them. So he proposed an additional budget for the promotion of tourism and for generation of foreign investments instead of focusing on debt servicing saying that, "what we have right now is a defensive budget that doesn’t prepare us for economic growth."

Gordon also reiterated his call not to tax power, cooking fuel, and processed food but to impose instead a tax on text messages.

"Let us tax the wants and not the needs," Gordon said emphasizing that, "we won’t die from less text messages while many will suffer if more taxes will be imposed on LPG and processed food."

The Manila Bulletin
25 October 2005
http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2005102547526.html

Red Cross sends 2nd team to Pakistan

Another team of experts will be dispatched to earthquake-stricken Pakistan by the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) to assist in recovery and relocation efforts there.

PNRC chairman and Sen. Richard Gordon said the team is being sent at the request of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC).

Gordon said team is tasked to assist in logistics, disaster management and critical incident stress debriefing among survivors and their families.

The second team is composed of Nenita Briones from the Cotabato City Red Cross Chapter, Grace Avellano of the PNRC social services department, and national field representative Leo Abajo of the PNRC safety services.

The first team, led by PNRC disaster management head Raul Garganera, was deployed soon after a strong tremor rocked Pakistan last month, leaving thousands of people either dead or homeless. —

Sheila Crisostomo
The Philippine Star 10/25/2005
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200510250413.htm

Negros must prepare for Tourism Boost

"BACOLOD City that has seen a long past is certainly capable of seeing a long and bright future."

Senator Richard Gordon issued the statement in his inspirational speech delivered at the 67th Charter Day of Bacolod City Wednesday wherein he and boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao were the city's main guests at the Charter Day celebration.

Gordon said with the international airport in Silay City to be ready for use in 2007, the whole province should prepare by now a masterplan for tourism, industrial and educational infrastructure.

He offered to help Bacolodnons and Negrenses in making the island a come-on for tourists.

"I will help this city and this province to move on in terms of tourism. But let us help one another. I want to help. But help yourself first. What is more important in leadership is action and not title. You want to change? Work hard and reinvent yourself," he said.

He said once the airport opens, more tourists will be coming to Negros Island.

"Whether it's called Bacolod airport or Silay airport doesn't matter. What is more important is the preparation on how such facility becomes a true international airport. I am one with you in this project. I will give you my full support and services to make this airport a real international airport," he said.

"If you want the tourists to come, you must give them the reasons to come. And when they leave, they will have a story to tell about how beautiful Negros is," the senator added.

Gordon is the brains of Wow Philippines!, a hit tourism promotion of the different attractions in the entire country in one package. He is also credited for the development of Subic Bay into a tourism and investment hub.

He said Negros Occidental should develop its beautiful beach resorts in Hinobaan, Sipalay, Jomabo Island in Escalante and Sagay. The island also boasts of the old houses in Silay City and of the caves in Kabankalan and Candoni, he added.

In Mambukal, there's a promise of becoming a tourist attraction, he said.

For his part, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia thanked everyone for cooperating in making the MassKara Festival and the Charter Day celebration a success.

He said he saw for himself the enthusiasm of the people during the festivities. He appealed to the people to unite for the good of the city.

Leonardia said: "Despite the economic and political turmoil, we never give up. Bacolod by nature doesn't give up. I urge everybody to unite and cooperate for the good of our beloved city. Let's continue having an enthusiastic spirit."

Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon, boxing champ Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinky, Representative Monico Puentevella and wife Patching, Mayor Leonardia and wife Elsa, Vice Mayor Renecito Novero and members of the City Council, public school teachers, government workers, businessmen, were among others attended the Charter Day program at the Bays Center. (RRM/RLB)

Sun.Star Bacolod 20 October 2005

FLASH GORDON

FROM THE STANDS
By Domini M. Torrevillas
The Philippine Star 10/18/2005

You can't avoid him, the way you can't avoid seeing Kris Aquino and Aga Muhlach on giant billboards everywhere and on the boob tube all the time. I won't be surprised if some quarters perceive Senator Richard Gordon's ubiquity as leading towards the presidency of the Philippine Republic.

Dick has been in the news for as long as we can remember. He was the youngest member, at age 25, of the 1971 Constitutional Convention; as mayor of Olongapo City during the martial law years, he did the next to impossible – converting "sin city" Olongapo to spanking clean model city free of garbage and reduced criminal elements. But he always pointed to his constituents as having been responsible for the city's transformation.

When the largest American military facility outside the continental United States closed shop, Gordon led the transformation of Subic Naval Base, inspiring 8,000 volunteers to preserve the US$8-billion facility and making it the Philippines' premier free port and special economic zone.

As chair of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, he drew investors and raves and was good copy when he was eased out by former President Joseph Estrada, and got into verbal tussles with his successor. As tourism secretary, he turned around a moribund industry shaken by threats of terrorism after 9-11, and the fear of SARS disease. He gained the respect of his peers internationally, who elected him World Tourism Organization Commissioner for East Asia and the Pacific in 2002 and chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association in 2003, and became the chief advocate of Third World countries affected by unfair travel advisories by Western governments.

It's conceded that his popularity soared as secretary of tourism, as he scoured the farthest reaches of the land and promoted the country through attractive slogans like "Wow Philippines." I think more Filipinos learned to like to travel in their own country during Dick's time. It seemed he liked being Filipino and living in this country. He even made Filipinos appreciate the greatness of Lapu-Lapu. It was no wonder he ranked fifth in the last senatorial race.

Now, as chair and executive officer of the Philippine National Red Cross, Senator Gordon, is able to reach more people – at a time when help is most needed. He has been to sites of disasters, handing out food and clothing to victims, carrying babies, hugging old women, making the men feel useful even in the aftermath of calamities.

But Dick's quick response to calls for help is no political gimmick. He has been a Red Cross volunteer for a long time, since his mother, recipient of the highest PNRC award, the Gold Humanitarian Cross and Pearl S. Buck award, founded the Red Cross chapter in Olongapo City. Today, Dick's mother remains chairperson of the said chapter.

In whatever government position Dick held, he led rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations around the Philippines. There were the 1987 sinking of the M/V Asuncion off Palawan Island after colliding with another sea vessel. One of the survivors of the collision, whose mother perished in the incident, was "adopted" by Dick. Today, the orphan is a practicing physical therapist.

He was quick to respond to the 1990 killer earthquake that hit Luzon. Where he led a joint Philippine and American civilian and military rescue effort in the collapsed Central College of the Philippines in Cabanatuan City.

In 1997, he responded to the call for Asian Regional Disaster Training and Logistics Center to help plan, prepare for, and mitigate calamities and disasters in the region. Through his prodding the first ASEAN Disaster Management Workshop Seminar was held in Manila in 1999. After the recent Asian Tsunami, efforts are now underway for the establishment of such a regional center in the Subic Freeport.

In 2004, the international regard for Gordon's leadership track record was such that, when he appealed for help on behalf of 50,000 families affected by a series of four typhoons in November and December, the member societies of the International Red Cross from all over the world responded with more than $3 million in donations – a record in Philippine humanitarian circles.

An accomplished fund-raiser for the Red Cross, in 2000, Gordon initiated the PNRC Millennium Fund, to which corporate donors pledged contributions of a million pesos to the Red Cross for five years to sustain training of volunteers and upgrade rescue and relief equipment. Through this Fund, PNRC acquired a rescue truck equipped with air bags that can lift tons of rubble and pneumatic pliers to pry open crumpled structures and free up trapped victims. The equipment strengthens the capability of the PNRC to fund and rescue people trapped under debris or collapsed buildings or pinned down in accidents.

In the middle of a presentation before prospective investors at Subic Freeport, he learned from an aide of a call for help over the radio. He immediately led a team with a fully equipped rescue truck that he recently purchased for the Freeport to dig out survivors and bodies from the rubble of the collapsed Guzman Tech Building in Manila in 1994.

He has sent volunteers to disasters and accidents such as engineers and electricians to Negros in the Visayas that was rendered without electric power for weeks by super-typhoon Didang in 1989. He provided body bags for the thousands who had died in Ormoc in 1991, sent fully-equipped professional divers to recover drowned religious devotees from the sinking of vessels in a fluvial parade in Bulacan, sent water tankers to provide safe drinking water to communities affected by the eruption of Mt. Mayon, and evacuated city residents and 9,000 indigenous people from the flanks of Mt. Pinatubo days before the volcano's eruption.

In March 2000, after inaugurating the newly formed local Red Cross chapter of Basilan Island in Mindanao, he worked for the release without ransom of 18 school children and teachers held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf. One of the rescued kids, Dana Mijal, who celebrated her birthday in captivity, is now in high school as a scholar at the Ateneo de Zamboanga.

Dick has received many awards, including the TOYM Award for public administration in 1962. The most colorful of them is Hong Kong Standard's calling him the "Flash Gordon of the Philippines."

Election Modernization and Missing Ballot Boxes Interview Transcript - 10/17/2005

COMMITTEE HEARING
CONSTITTUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, REVISION OF LAWS AND CODES

GORDON: There is a clear direction to modernize the election and the sole purpose of this meeting was to be in aid of legislation. A technical working group has been formulated for the modernization of the elections and we have found out that there are discrepancies in the ballot boxes and the electoral returns submitted to the Senate as well as the Lower House. And the Senate has also gotten cooperation from the Comelec in so far as they are reporting on the 216,000 electoral returns that they have. In the meantime, we are going to expand the previous law on automated elections to make it more flexible, to be able to utilize technology and not to limit it to the utilization of ballots but as well as through electronic messages.

INTERVIEWER: Comment on the letter from the majority leader of the house not allowing the two officials to appear before this hearing?

GORDON: It is a very cordial letter and they merely expressed their concern that there was a concurrent presidential electoral tribunal investigation going on and they want to make sure that this does not collide with the principle of sub judice in term of conducting this investigation.

My reply there was simply that this is all in aid of legislation that we sent letters requesting for Bayani Fabic, House Sergeant of Arms and Tim Adaza was informed also but the letter of Cong. Nograles referred only to Bayani Fabic. Nonetheless, we told them that this is just an investigation in aid of legislation – not to impute blame or to find fault.

This is in aid of legislation to modernize the elections and the Senate has a clear, pursuant to rules, conservation of merit to conduct inquiries in aide of legislation. So again we are writing them a letter stating that we have found out that there may be discrepancies and so we have to carefully, again, re-evaluate the number of ballot boxes and electoral returns as well as other documents submitted here and what was turned over in the House, they have 68, we have 65 and we want to make sure that they are properly in order. We are not saying that there are some discrepancies already. All we are saying is we want to make sure that we are on the same page and we are starting with the same facts.

INTERVIEWER: You just explained the impact of the discrepancies between the House and the Senate count over the number of ballot boxes there?

GORDON: Well, you can really see that if you cannot stack a minimum of 25 electoral returns in one ballot box certainly, according to the Comelec as well as the other resource persons today, you cannot stack more than 50. You cannot even bring in 50 because there are other more documents. There would be hundreds of thousands of names of voters or results that would not be counted and right now, you are talking about 216,000 precincts involved so we have to find out kung saan napunta ‘yan.

And certainly because this is a basic right of the citizenry to make sure that their votes are properly guarded, we have a duty to take a look at that and what we will find out will be the result of a bill that we are now trying to draft and submit hopefully before the end of this year so that we could have a state of the art elections by the year 2007.

We have formed technical group here and the chairman will be Secretary Alabastro together with the Comelec and Mr. Seneres as well as some information technology agencies. We are also going to have some consultants from the Senate and hopefully with that we can come out with the very imaginative and very effective legislation so that this could be the legacy of both the administration and the legislature to the people of this country. The 5 Fs –- Fast, Friendly, Fair, Flexible and Forward looking Filipino elections.

---30--

Charter needs fine-tuning, not overhaul

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, on Friday said he is not in favor of revising the 1987 Constitution, saying the charter only needs fine-tuning.

"I am in favor of changing the Constitution, but not at this time," Gordon told ANC.

Gordon said the work of the Constitutional Commission tasked by President Arroyo to study revisions to the Constitution is skirting on possibly violating the charter they seek to amend.

He said there are only three ways to change the Charter, and that is through a constitutional convention, constitutional assembly and by people's initiative.

The President, he said, has no power to amend the charter.

Gordon said there may concerns that need to be attended to that is more important than amending the Constitution, like improving the country's educational system and the absence of fighter planes in the Philippine Air Force.

He also said the Filipino public does not understand the difference between the parliamentary and federal systems of government.

Gordon also criticized the ConCom for "conditioning" the minds of the Filipinos that the parliamentary/federal system of government is the best way to go from the present presidential/unitary form of government.

He also revealed that most members of the Con-Com are President Arroyo's "friends" and are "biased" to the Chief Executive.

ABS-CBN Interactive
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=19103

Emilio Aguinaldo Outstanding Achievement Awards

Senator Richard Gordon leads the roster of the 2005 Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Outstanding Achievement Awardees.

He was given the distinction for his exceptional performance in the field of public service. The event was sponsored by the Provincial Government of Cavite headed by Governor Ayong Maliksi with guest speaker DENR Sec. Micheal Defensor.

Other awardees were (L-R): Capt. Asisclo Castañeda, Amando Angat, Rodrigo Camia, Evelyn Pantig, Katrina Belamide, Gloria Lopez, and Sajid Imao.

Gordon is the great grandson Col. Jose Tagle of Imus, Cavite the Philippine Revolution hero who led the first victory against Colonial Spain in September 3 1896.

PNRC sends 3 volunteers to Pakistan

The Philippine National Red Cross on Thursday sent a three-man humanitarian team to Pakistan to help in the rescue and rehabilitation efforts for the victims of earthquake there.

PNRC chairman and Sen. Richard Gordon identified the three volunteers as Raul Galganera, Eric Salve and Carmelo Caagbay. They will be staying in Pakistan to help earthquake victims for a month.

Gordon said the three-man team will be PNRCs advance team and it will be sending more members to Pakistan.

An earlier Reuters report said Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf asked the world and his people to send more money and aid quickly.

There are at least 2.5 million people rendered homeless by the 7.6 earthquake that hit Pakistan Saturday. The official death toll stood at 23, 000 but is expected to rise. Officials in Pakistan expects the death toll to rise as high as 40, 000.

ABS-CBN Interactive
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=19002

Red Cross Sends Rescue Team To Pakistan

Senator Richard Gordon, Chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), briefs the 3-man team, all experts in collapsed structure rescue, bound to Pakistan to lead the Southeast Asian Regional Delegation who will help recover and relocate survivors of the recent earthquake that hit South Asia. The team consists of (L-R) Raul Garganera, Carmelo Caagbay, and Eric Salve. Gordon said this is the first time that Filipinos will lead other Southeast Asian volunteers to help South Asia. The PNRC has been actively providing assistance not just in the Philippines but also to other countries recently struck by disasters. It started to become a donor society when it sent monetary assistance to the victims of the tsunami that hit South and Southeast Asia in December of last year and recently to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the US.

Calibrated Pre-emptive Response(CPR) and Anti-Terrorism Bill Interview Transcript -10/6/2005

ON CALIBRATED PRE-EMPTIVE RESPONSE (CPR)

INTERVIEWER: Medyo seryoso itong nangyayari dahil araw-araw may pinapalo. Marami na po ang nasasaktan at nagagalit, ano ba talaga ang policy na ito ng PNP dito sa usapin ng CPR.

GORDON: Unang-una, dapat ang kapulisan should punish the guy na nambatok. Katulad ng nangyari sa La-Salle-FEU game sa UAAP, binatukan si Arwin Santos, yari siya. Dapat ganoon kabilis. Yan ang kagandahan ng media, nakitang masama ang ginawa, hulihin natin—kung ako ang Mayor d'yan ikukulong ko agad iyan. In fact, the PLEBs (Peoples Law Enforcement Boards) can act there. Kapag nakita ka sa ganyang maling gawain sa mga pulis, kulong ka. But wala akong nakikitang ganyan. That makes it wrong.

May rules tayo at kung gusto ninyong magbago 'yung rules dahil sinasabi ninyo na inuupuan ng mayor yung request para sa permit, kung sinasabi ninyo na gusto ninyo sa lahat ng lugar at hindi sa freedom park, then it is for the Supreme Court to interpret the law of the land not us kundi there will be anarchy.

Pangalawa, dapat ang pulis may tungkulin at ang rallyist ay may tungkulin din. Hindi lahat karapatan lang. Kapag lumalakad ka sa kalye hindi ka pwedeng pigilin. Hindi ka naman pwedeng mag-rally sa kalye sapagkat you are disturbing the rights of the others na. But on the other hand, kapag humingi ka ng permit at hindi ka binibigyan matagal ng mayor, dalhin mo kaagad sa korte. That is the way democracy works.

Nasa sidewalk ka. That is not a crime. You have the right to walk on the sidewalk and to walk on the streets but you cannot stop and stop the traffic to the prejudice of everybody. Kung ganoon ng gagawin mo hahanapan ka talaga ng permit. Ngayon, ang kailangan d'yan, ayoko ng maximum tolerance. Ayokong CPR. Ang CPR is life threatening not life saving.

May rules tayo at kung gusto ninyong magbago 'yung rules dahil sinasabi ninyo na inuupuan ng mayor yung request para sa permit, kung sinasabi ninyo na gusto ninyo sa lahat ng lugar at hindi sa freedom park, then it is for the Supreme Court to interpret the law of the land not us kundi there will be anarchy.

I will even question the term CPR in the law itself because para bang pabor pa sa atin na tino-tolerate tayo kapag nag-rarali tayo. Hindi tama iyan. Dapat i-withdraw 'yan. In fact I am going to ask the police, hihingiin ko sa kapulisan na alisin ninyo iyan CPR na sinasabi ninyong 'yan. Wala kayong karapatan magsabi ng ganyan and the mere fact that you are saying that, you are already threatening the rights of the people to express themselves as an association or as an individual.

Alam ninyo dati naman akong demonstrator sa UP. Student council ako sa UP noong First Quarter Storm. Nakikita ko naman ang mga kasama ko na talagang minumura ang pulis pero syempre wag kayong mapipikon. Kaya nga lumabas ang tolerance, pinagpapasensyahan. Tungkulin ninyo iyon pero kapag pinalo ninyo ang demostrador that is going beyond. You are supposed to be the guardian of the law. You cannot break the law to enforce the law. So dapat kaagad tawagin ang pulis na iyon, lagyan agad ng administrative sanction and if necessary fire him if he has to be fired but people must know about it.

INTERVIEWER: Okey bawal yung pumalo pero sana ipagbawal din yung pagsapak, pagsipa at pagsakal.

Gen. SILVERIO ALARCIO: Doon sa aming hanay ay ginagawa na namin ang tamang hakbang upang maiwasan itong mga ganito. Alam po ninyo kanina nag-announce po ang ating Director NCR na bawal na 'yung batuta sa mga CDM kase nakikita niya na ginagamit na pamukpok. So this is a positive response from the police. I think tama po yung sinabi ng ating good senator na both sides ay may responsibilidad. Hindi lang ang pulis ang gagawa ng hakbang upang maiwasan ang mga iyan kundi pati yung kabila.

GORDON: Dapat seguro general maipakita ninyo agad kung ano ang ginawa ninyo sa mga pulis na 'yan . Iyan ang dapat makita. Kung mabilis kayong umaksiyon ay magkakaroon kayo ng credibility dahil sinasabi ninyo na ito ang tamang aksiyon. Hindi pwedeng sabihin na wala ng batuta. No. Hindi naman pwedeng walang proteksiyon ang pulis sapagkat kung minsan binabato din ang pulis pero kapag nagkamali ang pulis, huli ka, out ka strike out ka. Iyan ang dapat.

GEN ALARCIO: Gagawin po natin iyan at ipa-follow up natin ang investigation na mangyayari and we will inform kung ano ang hakbang at ginawang sanction doon sa nagkasala.

INTERVIEWER: Pero sana nga ipagbawal ang pagpalo at pagsipa ang nakita natin kahapon.

GORDON: The commanding officer has the right to discipline him right away and to tell the public that this guy is the one. I saw him on tv, suspendido ka. Nakaposas kaagad.

INTERVIEWER: Senador bibigyan ba ninyo ng timetable si General Silverio Alarcio, Jr hanggang mamamaya o hanggang bukas?

GORDON: Nasa batas iyan. Si General Querol at yung mga direct commander officer can immediately conduct rather than an investigation but punishment, suspension even summary dismissal.

Pero dapat din naman na yung mga leaders ay makipag-usap din sa matataas na pulis para malaman kung ano ang dapat maging rules of engagement.

Cong. ETTA ROSALES: I think dapat bilisan natin sa Senado at sa Kamara ang investigation at dapat umaksiyon ang pulis kaagad. May batas kaming ginagawa tungkol dyan.

INTERVIEWER: Malabo yata yung investigation dahil mayroong EO 464. Paano maiimbetahan itong pulis?

GORDON: Ang kailangan d'yan ay wag na tayong mag-imbestiga. Kapag ang pulis hindi ginawa iyan, walang budget. Actually hindi na kailangan iyan. Ang pulis ang dapat gumalaw. Alam ko na matitino naman ang ibang general d'yan. Pwede naman i-dismiss kaagad iyan o isuspinde pero dapat makita ng tao na hindi ginagawa iyan.

ON ANTI-TERRORISM BILL

INTERVIEWER: Ano po ba ang mangyayari dito sa anti-terrorism bill sa Senado?

GORDON: Galing ako sa tourism. I have already promoted this country for business in Subic and I have promoted this country for tourism. Marami tayong taong walang hanapbuhay na umaasa sa investments at turismo.

I sympathize right now doon sa Bali. Talagang basag ang pinggan nila because of terrorism. There was terrorism in Bali last time at nakita ko ang mga waiter ay umiiyak at ang sabi nila natigil ang kanilang mga anak sa paga-aral. Wala pa d'yan ang mga taong namatay.

One of the things worth considering is the air force bill. Yung sinasabi ko na tinanggal nila ang air force has made us more vulnerable. Pwedeng kumuha ng isang Learjet o mag-rent, bombahin, kargahan ng explosives at ibangga iyan doon sa Malampaya(oil depot). Sabog iyan.

Wala tayong terrorist law. In principle I am in favor of it because iyan ang bagong threat sa buong mundo and we have to have an anti-terrorism bill. And you know ibang usapan iyan. I am in the Red Cross at inihanda ko ang Red Cross.

Mayroon kaming rescue truck ngayon because of this terrorist and massive disasters that are happening para mapasok namin yung nasusunog at natambakan. Kompleto iyan ng bagong kagamitan for search and rescue. Mayroon pang tv scanner na nabili. Talagang nag-invest kami d'yan.

We have to have a law against terrorism. If we do not have a law against terrorism, we are exposing our people to harm. So long as we protect the rights of the accused, so long as we don't allow the State to do illegal things, I think, we can be imaginative enough to craft an anti-terrorism bill and I think we will do that in the Senate.

Usaping Balita Media Forum
Serye Restaurant, Quezon Memorial Circle, Q.C.