A tragic yearend for all — same trajectory for the coming year Featured

Lito Monico C. Lorenzana
LML Polettiques
27 December 2023
Comments:DISQUS_COMMENTS
THE year ends as expected on a sordid note and continuing tragedies. The Ukraine war, now in a stalemate, may go the way of Putin. But the killing continues. In Palestine, Israel has introduced a new phase in this conflict — the starvation of the people of Gaza as an instrument of war. And the killing continues. It benefits Hamas. They are winning the global hearts and minds hiding behind the wretched citizens of Gaza, in plain sight — the sacrificial lambs in the altar of geopolitics — underpinned by religious beliefs.

And in Southeast Asia, there will be no war this year, although the two great powers are still on a collision course over Taiwan and the ultimate prize is who among the hegemons has the bigger balls. America will not invade Taiwan. This is to China's advantage. It can bide its time as the Chinese are wont to look at things from generational perspectives. China has existed for a thousand years. It can wait another decade until it reaches parity with America and then supersedes it.

And where goes the Philippines, with BBM's arrogance on "not surrendering an inch of our territory." No, Boy! China will not take an inch. It has already taken chunks off our heritage, hectares of what we claim our own but can't keep. We can wither in the vine — and China will let us. And our sponsor, America, can't do anything! We are on our own. Let's negotiate!

God is under the gun

I close a year of column-writing with my series of hypotheses on man-made God and religion that disturb the equanimity of adherents and cynics. But locally, it's a different story. Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, God's appointed son, is in trouble. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) recently imposed a 30-day suspension against Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) for violating its legislative franchise. It is not even the executive branch, from whence the NTC is lodged, but the House of Representatives that called for its revocation. Quoting The Manila Times report: "...Rep. Francisca "France" Castro said SMNI is a threat to press freedom because it advocates violence, disinformation and intolerance.

"We hope that the measures for accountability of SMNI, its hosts, executives and owners, including Pastor Quiboloy himself, will continue because they have abused the network as an anti-people tool and mouthpiece of the Dutertes and the NTF-Elcac (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict)." (The Manila Times, Dec. 22, 2023)

On top of this, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) suspended two SMNI shows, "Laban Para sa Bayan" and Duterte's show, "Gikan sa Masa, Para Sa Masa." SMNI said it is appealing the decision as a "brazen attack" on the freedom of the press.

Press freedom, my eye! This is a vulgar display of presidential politics. In some oblique way, this signals House Speaker Martin Romualdez throwing his hat into the presidential ring against the daughter of the Deegong, still popular among the masses, while Sara loses clout, influence, and power as vice president and education secretary. The House that holds the power of the purse has just defanged Sara with the acquiescence of

Romualdez's Senate allies by stripping her of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) — a metaphor for this corruption-ridden source of campaign logistics.

What is perhaps more glaring is the attempt to castrate the powerful Davao-based SMNI media conglomerate, which has been an ally of the Dutertes on their journey toward national politics. This is the arm of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) broadcast media owned by the televangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. It's a religious money machine competing with the traditional Catholic Church. Its broadcasting tentacles have reached nationwide through cable, satellite and online streaming worldwide. Its network of radio stations is a formidable message delivery system reaching barrios all over. With the appointed son of God indicted in the US for sex trafficking of children, fraud and rape, SMNI is vulnerable. And in presidential politics, dirt is shoveled both ways.

Billionaire House speaker

It may be noted that the billionaire Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, a Marcos cousin and ally, may be ramping up for a political confrontasi. In June of this year, Nikkei Asia (by Cliff Venzon, June 8, 2023) reported that a little-known privately held company of the Romualdez family, RYM Business Management, has been eyeing the media sector, too. Prime Media Holdings, a subsidiary of RYM, and ABS-CBN announced the formation of a joint venture to produce news and entertainment shows for distribution on radio and cable broadcast platforms.

Both "Romualdez and his wife, Yedda Marie, were among the 70 Duterte-allied lawmakers who voted to reject ABS-CBN's bid to renew its 25-year broadcasting license ... in 2020," Nikkei said.

On top of this, RYM has been securing deals in the banking and construction sectors that stand to benefit from the Marcos Jr. administration's massive 194 NEDA-approved flagship infrastructure projects amounting to $145.4 billion (P8.17 trillion) for the years 2024-2028.

In April, RYM arranged for a 20 percent stake in EEI, a publicly listed construction company engaged in government-endorsed infrastructure projects from the House of Investments of the Yuchengcos.

RYM has also infused P1.8 billion capital in the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB), a government depository bank owned by World War 2 veterans and their heirs. The bank charter was later amended in 2021 to expand the shareholder base beyond the original shareholders — sons and daughters of World War 2 veterans. Former finance secretary Roberto de Ocampo, president of PVB, described RYM absurdly as "...an entity with sons and daughters of World War II as members...." The lawmakers proposing the amendment include the Romualdez couple.

RYM's latest regulatory filing does not show any seat held by the couple, but their son sits on mining company boards, Benguet Mining and Marcventures Holdings, where RYM holds stakes.

Conflict of interest

Melinda Quintos-de Jesus, executive director at the Manila-based Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, minced no words on the move of Prime Media and ABS-CBN, saying that "this deal sharpens the capture of the media ... and the business landscape by the ruling political elite..." adding that "...this joining of forces with a presidential relative and ally is simply not a good sign of the flourishing of independent and critical media.".

De Jesus was just being kind. In my book, this is a possible conflict of interest when an individual, much less an elected and powerful official of government, has competing interests or loyalties that could potentially compromise their impartiality, objectivity, or duty to act in the best interest of the country. These are public servants allowing their companies to enter into lucrative contracts with government, with the most powerful position in Congress making decisions and setting agendas on legislative issues that may impact the companies they own.

What is not clear at this point is if this is an all-out confrontation between the Marcoses and the Dutertes — a fight between political dynasties. Currently, the President's sister Imee is clearly in the camp of Sara.

But for the poor Filipino voters, if you have not learned your lesson, fie on you!000
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