Esperon should be removed
Hi. This is Mar.
This is going to be a short post, because it’s promising to be a busy next few days for me. Too many things have been happening. As I write this we are preparing for a press conference on the situation in Mindanao. I’ll have a member of my staff post a video of the presscon later.
I’ve been reading the comments on the previous posts, and right now I want to thank everyone for speaking their minds. I’m happy that this blog is opening up avenues for discourse, and I hope that you guys keep the comments coming.
That’s all for now. Thanks.
*
-UPDATE-
Presscon’s over. Here’s the statement I delivered:
Hinihingi ko kay Pangulong Arroyo na sibakin na si General Hermogenes Esperon bilang Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. Ayon kay Vice Governor Manny Piñol, na kinausap ko kagabi, nagbanta si General Esperon kay Vice Governor Piñol na hindi na maaasahan ng mga kababayan natin sa Mindanao ang suporta ng ating mga sundalo, kung hindi nila tutulungan at sasang-ayunan itong MOA na na-negotiate ng gobyerno sa MILF.
Labag ito sa batas. Labag ito sa sinumpaang tungkulin ni General Esperon at tama lamang na sibakin ni Pangulong Arroyo si General Esperon sa kanyang tungkulin.
Itong kasunduan na ito ay hindi nauunawaan ng ating mga kababayan. Nakita natin sa proseso na kulang sa konsultasyon at wala halos ang nakakaalam sa nilalaman nitong kasunduang ito. Ito ay pruweba sa maling stratehiya na ginamit ng pamahalaan sa pag-negotiate dito, isang stratehiya ng pagtatago sa katotohanan, at pamumuwersa o pambabraso ng mga maaapektuhan nito.
Hindi ito ang pamamaraan para mag-negotiate ng isang peace agreement. Kailangan lahat ay nakakaalam ng nilalaman nito, at sumusuporta rito. Kung hindi, nasa papel lamang itong peace agreement, at yung kaguluhan ang siyang iiral pa rin.
*
At the root of the problem here is the government’s trademark lack of transparency. Time and again this has happened, and all because they like to keep secrets from the people, rather than consult them and engage them in discourse.
Tell me what you think.
-M
About the Author ‘Mr. Palengke’ is Senator Mar Roxas, the son of the illustrious Senator Gerry Roxas, and the grandson of the venerable President Manuel Roxas whose public service careers have greatly benefited the country.Elected to the Senate in 2004 with a staggering 20 million votes, the largest ever obtained by a candidate in any Philippine election, Mar Roxas has made it his business to champion the people’s agenda on quality education, livelihood opportunities through small and medium enterprises, information technology, consumer welfare and good governance. 
Hello bos diziz ollie. nice running into you here. I’ve been blogging for more than 2 years now and I’d just like to welcome you to the blogosphere.
I agree with you that Esperon is not the right man for the job. The president should have appointed Irene Santiago, who’s been a long-time member of the peace panel and very knowledgeable on the matter and most important of all, a Mindanaoan. I don’t even think Esperon is from Mindanao.
On a different matter, can I suggest a topic? I think your readers would also like to see your lighter side or what’s a typical day like for Mar Roxas - what you ate for breakfast, books you are currently reading, whether you get enough sleep, etc.
“At the root of the problem here is the government’s trademark lack of transparency. Time and again this has happened, and all because they like to keep secrets from the people, rather than consult them and engage them in discourse.”
Hasn’t this been what the Arroyo administration has been doing since the start of her tenure?
….The lack of intellectual recognition to the state of its people?
Is Espiron “fit” to be in the peace process panel? No.
Do I believe Gov. Piñol’s statement about Espiron’s threat - that the government will not defend the people of Mindanao should they reject the MOA? Yes.
Espiron is a loose cannon and a narcissist. And he regards himself as the ’saviour’ of Mindanao? Seriously, Mr. Espiron?!?
NUTS!!
- Emphaty has no place in this government. It sees it’s constituents as merely pawns to cling for dear life (and power) - disregarding the very basic rule of natural law. CO-EXISTENCE.
I am so happy that another public official has a blog. I just hope that in spite of your busy sked, you will not ask a staff to maintain this later. I agree with iloilo city boy that you also blog about the lighter side of Mar.
I have been promoting blogging as tool for participatory governance. This is an online town hall meeting where we engaged our citizens in cyberspace. For your work in the Senate, you might want to try wikislation to encourage netizens as co-author of resolutions and bills.
My wish is that when the good Senator finally becomes President, he will not pardon those who will be convicted as a result of the mess, graft, corruption, and worst, squandering time and opportunity between 2001 and 2010.
Dear Senator MAR tocayo,
Mabuhay! Annyong haseyo,
I am an OFW here in Korea, and now I could regularly update myself
on your leadership and legislative efforts even if I am very very far
away.
Your IT leadership and efforts through this blog is indeed a milestone
in your work. Even if you are busy all the time, but still find some
time to peek at the messages.
I will be clicking your blog regularly for more updates. Since I am an
OFW, all I could do is to post comments hoping that I will be
able to convince others.
Some of my comments you may like, some you may not like. What
is important is that you are able to accept all in good sense, even if
these are in agreement or disagreement with mine, and the others as well.
By the way Senator, pwede po ba dahan dahan sa JPEPA? Please ensure that
at least most issues (we could not have all of it) are clear and resolved in our favor
before you affix your concurrence?
An OFW in Korea,
MAR Amante
Dear tocayo about the Mindanao issue,
Great effort for you to contribute on the Mindanao issue!
You also have great media timing. And point blank too in
calling for Esperon’s resignation.
The effects of Esperon’s resignation I think will again put
a roadblock on the current negotiations. This should force
both sides back to the bargaining board. And now, there is
the Supreme Court decision to consider, on constitutionality
issues, after the TRO.
Even if General Esperon and General Garcia are now peace warriors
and could understand the situation better on the ground, I believe
that they should have
Perhaps you could ask someone to consolidate your ideas on Mindanao, and
have these posted in your blog. Even just a two or three page consolidation
of your ideas on how we could move forward in Mindanao, achieve a just
and lasting peace with the Moro people, and have a breakthrough after 2010?
MAR Amante
I agree that Esperon is not the right man for the job..who ever heard of a peace process presidential adviser more of inviting chaos in our nation..yes what he did was in a way..invite chaos…he is somewhat instigating that the nation be divided and we loose control of mindanao…the MOA move initself is very stupid..i think the people that pushed it through was not educated..baka naman kinder lang ang tinapos kasi parang hindi nagiisip..i also agree with the blogs atop na the current administration is belittle-ing the intelligence of the people of this country…we deserve way better credit than that..
Yes Mr. Esperon is not fit for the job because he acts, talks, walks without thinking about the repercussions..but hey, that’s how most of the administrations decisions are made right?
we need a change, a big change.. we need a true leader..a dictator probably who has the country and its people’s best interest in mind…but probably that is a longshot
as for the time being, (sorry if i don’t properly use capitalization and pucntuation marks) the MOA is a flawed agreement..it should be reviewed thoroughly and a better agreement should be reached..not this “giving away all our resources” type of agreement…
yes, mr. esperon should be replaced at once…don’t ask for his resignation..dammit fire him if you will…
at the rate we’re going with the administrations “leadership and operations” we’re headed for an all out chaotic future…
if you have watched the “dark knight” movie…that’s what we need..someone who can be whatever the philippines needs him to be…someone who will break a few rules (but keep 1 rule) in aim of doing the right thing..someone who will rid the country of all agents of chaos…someone who will simply stand up!
Hi Senator Mar,
I fully support your call for transparency in our government. Mabuhay po kayo!
Lester
It’s not only Esperon who is negligent and incompetent of his job but the whole GRP panel must be made answerable for the MOA on BJE problem.
I can only sympathize with Vice-gov Pinol and the people of Mindanao who are against this MOA because in reality this is unconstitutional and against the relevant laws pertaining to ancestral domains. If you would carte to read the following links you will have a clearer picture of what I meant:
http://global.nus.edu.sg/apcel/dbase/filipino/regs/phradc.html
http://www.cockatoo.com/english/philippines/philippines_insight_people_minorities.htm
In this two links it shows that the claimants for ancestral domain should be indigenous cultural minorities. Islam does not qualify as an indigenous culture as it is from the Middle East and the MILF or the Bangsamoro is a majority in the ARMM. On this two count they already fail for the basic requirement of of claimant to ancestral land. They are actually ‘non-indigenous cultural majority’ in Mindanao. Compare the cultural minorities all over the Philippines mentioned in the link above and you will notice that they are the real deserving beneficiaries of the ancestral domain laws.
The other link outlines the procedure on the determination and awarding of ancestral land. It is clear that the authority is vested in the Secretary of the DENR who happens to be Lito Atienza. He must be investigated for wrongdoing and incompetency if he erred in awarding the ancestral domain to the MILF/BJE.
As I see it, the MOA on the BJE is illegal and unconstitutional and is therfore not a ‘done deal’ much more a binding legal document.
Thank you and I hope that my opinion would be of help to our kababayans in the South.
Hi Senator Mar! I had just launched an online petition to urge Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon to resign at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/esperonresign
Senator Mar,
I fundamentally agree with you. Mr. Esperon should be removed from office. I think that he is a wrong choice for the position. I am from Mindanao, but is far from the war-ravaged areas. I am from Davao del Norte. I love Mindanao despite of the bad image it gets from the media. I dream that someday we will all wake up one day with peace i our midst.
I know that wouldn’t be possible if Mr. Esperon is still on the post. And GMA, too.
When will this be realized? I hope it’ll be soon.
For decades, our land has been called “The Land of Promise.”
Can we make it “The Land of Fulfilled Promises,” not broken ones?
Respectfully yours,
LOUIE BRYAN M. LAPAT