The Manila Times

SHOULD JANE RYAN BE SLAPPED PUBLICLY? NO, ABSOLUTELY!

- Ponente

Imelda was the late Frank Chavez, another useful UP Law alum, if a Sigma Rho- gue. The of the 79- page single- spaced decision was Justice Maryanne E. Corpus-Manalac, concurred in by chairman Lagos and Justice Ma. Theresa V. Mendoza- Arcega. Of course, some miracle workers can still have the decision reversed in the SC but at 90 with health issues, what has the Lord in store for her? A conditiona­l pardon I can live with, for all septuagena­rian, octogenari­an and nonagenari­an prisoners.

And what’s in store for us in 2022? Who will be Numero Uno then — Leni Robredo, Grace Poe, Bongbong Marcos, Manny Pacquiao, whoever? Bongbong is damaged goods but one never knows in a country where Top House Absentee contender Manny Pacquiao landed No. 7 in the race for the Senate, where Lito Lapid may return triumphant­ly in 2019.

Rappler and Maria Ressa are being dunned P108 million in taxes, being critical of the Prez. Ultra- smart Manny Pacquiao brown-noses Digong while treating Senate work as a hobby or sideline. No one talks about his case of tax avoidance/evasion in

again Wassisname? in January and then later, Floyd Mayweather. His income should allow him to settle his BIR taxes. A champion tax avoider? Or evader? Is integrity a factor in the Senate he neglects?

Digong misspoke when he said economic adviser Michael Yang is not employed by the government. Documents show otherwise. Michael is Chinese in what otherwise should be an all- Pinoy Civil Service. RA 6713 requires “nationalis­m and patriotism” and one should be “loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino people” and “defend Philippine sovereignt­y against foreign intrusion.” Sec. 4 (f).

Prospect of Chinese invasion

Are the Chinese coming? Or have they in fact been here since yesteryear? Perry Diaz reminds us that for the past decades, the prospect of a Chinese invasion has worried us. In 1994, China claimed the Panganiban Reef, aka Mischief Reef, in the West Philippine Sea ( WPS). It started building artificial islands around seven reefs in the Spratly islands in the WPS in 2013, following the years of GMA, very cozy with Chinese businessme­n.

In May 2017, Digong met Chinese Prez Xi Jinping in Beijing. He boldly told Xi the area was ours. Irredentis­t Xi threatened war. On Feb. 19, 2018, Digong told Tsinoy businessme­n: “If you want, just make us a province, like Fujian.” In July 2018, residents in Manila and other cities woke up to see red banners hanging from footbridge­s reading, “Welcome to the Philippine­s, province of China.”

Chinese gaming companies and tourists have fueled a real estate boom. Due to the demand

by the Chinese expats, property values, to the detriment of homeless Pinoys, have skyrockete­d, employing mostly Chinese nationals. Chinese groups use almost quarter of a million square

casino Galaxy Entertainm­ent Group is said to open soon a $550 million casino in Boracay (contradict­ed by recent reports.)

Sen. Leila de Lima filed a resolution urging the Senate to probe the “problem . . . [ that] not only steals jobs away from ordinary Filipinos but also triggers property surge in many developed areas.”

Perry Diaz concludes: “Just like 600 years ago when China claimed and placed Luzon under her empire, is she now in a position to claim the Philippine­s as her province or vassal state? Or has Chinese colonizati­on begun?”

Let’s see who we get as the third Telco player. From China? It seems my fellow Bedan, bright Gringo Honasan, is the chosen one for the DICT (Department of Informatio­n & Communicat­ions Technology). This is the kind of “voluntary renunciati­on” that bars him from reelection next year, clearly distinguis­hable from Sen. Koko Pimentel’s “involuntar­y deprivatio­n” suffered from 2007 to 2011. Anyway, where does Gringo stand on the matter of the Yellow Peril? I just signed a petition against the China-

Michael Yang slam-dunk?

No threat is coming from us unabashed Dilawans, the few of us, remaining unreconstr­ucted and unrepentan­t, who simply do not agree that we prevent rape by giving our timely consent, for moneymakin­g us high-class prostitute­s. Mejor que nada? Better than nothing? At times, nada es mejor. Nothing is better. So I explained my No! vote on the US bases on Sept. 16, 1991.

Dignity is a priceless human right, even for Jane Ryan.

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