"It's too bad that the people who really know how to run the country are busy teaching school" - HARRY WONG
I went to work this morning expecting it to be an ordinary schoolday for me. I started with my regular routine of writing the "objectives", "warm-up" and "homework" on the white board. Afterwards, I did my hall duty when the bell rang to start the first period class. I was relaxed and calm until The Washington Post came.
I was shocked to see this news about my country on the front page:
Spy Probe Widens to Years Suspect Was at White House
Ex-Marine Allegedly Sent Files to Philippine Opposition
By Dan Eggen and Alan SipressWashington Post Staff WritersThursday, October 6, 2005; Page A01
The possibility that Leandro Aragoncillo was passing the material while stationed as a U.S. Marine security official at the White House marks a dramatic expansion of the case against him and a former Philippine police official, Michael Ray Aquino. Both were arrested and charged in federal court in Newark last month with sending classified information obtained this year to the Philippines -- more than two years after Aragoncillo left the White House and went to work as an FBI intelligence analyst.
The prosecutions of Aragoncillo and Aquino have ignited a political firestorm in the Philippines, and officials from the two countries say the United States is now caught in a feud between President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and rivals attempting to force her from office. (THE WASHINGTON POST, Oct 6)
I was so embarrassed because I am sure more than half of my co-teachers who got their Washington Post subscription was able to read the story.
Aragoncillo is a disgrace to the country and a huge damage to those Filipinos who are trying to build a good reputation here and around the world. He did just the exact opposite of Maj. Gen. Taguba who brought pride to our country because of his honesty in the military.
I live just a few blocks away from The Capitol and 15 minute drive from The White House...and I was planning to pay a visit the Filipina Head Chef there one day. Ah! A dream so near and yet so far!
I just couldn't stand looking at the photos of those who were in protests everyday, my eyes were already blurry with tears. These people in the front line are already agitated by those people who are trying to destabilize the government. I wonder what could appease them and calm them down? Another "People Power" to oust the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo? Is this "People Power" a trend which would happen everytime there's a new president in Malacanang? I have a lot of questions in mind and I could only do as much in helping (rather than criticizing) my country so it could be a better place for all of us.
Going back to Aragoncillo, I wonder what values and virtues were instilled to him by his parents and teachers? His credentials are very impressive but his principles are off. What he did was treason to the USA and to the Philippine Government. I believe traitors should get what they deserve and never be tolerated, so they will never be emulated.
RELATED ARTICLES FROM THE NEWS:
THE NEW YORK TIMES: F.B.I. Widens Inquiry Into N.J. Spy Case
THE WASHINGTON POST: Spy Probe Widens to Years Suspect Was at White House
YAHOO NEWS: FBI Examines Computers in Cheney's Office
MSN NBC: White House computers get FBI scrutiny
RELATED TOPICS: education, professional, government
29 comments:
"I believe traitors should get what they deserve and never be tolerated, so they will never be emulated."
Hi! precisely this why Ms. Arroyo should resign because she has rigged the election and hence not the duly elcted president.
It's sad that the Philippines is getting another bad publicity. It's like another Andrew Cunanan-murdering-Gianni Versace story. I don't understand why he had to sacrifice everything just to get those dossiers. Aragoncillo is an educated man. To put him in that damned situation, it must be worth a damn. Whatever it is worth, he broke the law and put every Filipino on the pedestal of shame.
don't take it too personally. i'm sure your colleagues will know that there will be bad eggs among filipinos, just as there are bad eggs among americans.
btw, sowi i didn't bring my excuse letter (the dog ate it LOL!), but i like the new look! wow =)
hi, Sol! well.. what can i say? this is not new. but they are only a few among the many. i hope the many sane ones are bigger in number still. people were brought up differently, Filipinos or not, and are driven by different passions in life. he may have gotten way over his sanity thinking he could get over it.
dont be sad, the Americans, and those other nationalities have their own stories, too, much embarassing pa nga...
cheers!
Tama ka Ma'm Sol sobrang NAKAKAHIYA !!!!! yan din ang nasa front page ng msn.com, karamihan pa dito samin sa office naka default sa msn.com.... wala lang magkamali sakin na may magtanong niyan....
nakakapamura talaga !@#$%^ .. kagagawan yan ng mga politiko satin ..... dapat talaga bitayin na ang lahat ng mga politikong madudumi eh.
Relax lang kayo mga kapatid...Basta patunayan na lang natin na di lahat ng galing sa Pinas eh nakakahiya... diba?
Let's do our own share of making Filipinos and Filipinas a good example...
yap, isa lang yan na bad news, marami naman good na lumabas, we got miss international, we have two titlest sa singing competitio and sa boxing at marami pang iba... so we should still be proud!
we should not generalize....... dapat sa kanya bitayin...
DOPS, I am not siding with the President but if she resigns, how sure are you that the person who will replace her could bring pride to our country, or would at least make the economy better. Whoever he'll be, he could be worse. Why can't we all just focus on helping the leader make things better for our country? There may be some mistakes she made, but hey, who is PERFECT?
JOHN CLARK, this bad publicity isn't "just a story" because it happened in The White House, it's in the national news here in the US and it will be for several days. This is the second day when it was in the headline of The Washington Post, and is still in the newspapers (though not in the front page anymore, but in the national news).
VONJOBI, that's a good thing to hear from you. Honestly, I seriously took it because I am sure it has shaken the good relationship between the US and the Philippines. I just don't understand why some Filipinos could do such thing or show hatred to the US (by burning the American Flags when the US President went to visit the Phils several years ago), when for all I know many of the Filipinos are longing to go to the US, get a good working visa here, or be an immigrant. Should we Filipinos maintain a good relationship with the US in this light?
BING, he reminds me of that PMA topnotcher who was in his training here in Maryland, and was caught tampering the price tags of CDs in a Commissary...and he probably thought he was just playing tricks with the people there. Whatever happened to him by the way?
ROY, cool ka lang, may mga nagtatanong na sakin na co-teachers ko pero iniiwasan ko to comment in detail about the political situation back home. Mahirap na, nasa federal state ako nakatira :D
IAN, oo nga sinabi ko naman sa kanila na hindi naman lahat ng Pilipino ganyan ang pag-uugali katulad sa kanya eh. Kaya nga I try to be apolitical talaga, nakakabaluktot ng utak yan eh, matindi pa sa drugs ang tama sa utak na ginagawa talaga tayong masamang tao imbes na mag-focus sa kabutihan. HAY!
Friends,
Just my personal reaction on this issue when US media made another bang to sensationalize news on matters concerning political affairs of other country.
Most common reaction from Filipinos (especially those living abroad) felt so shameful for what Mr. Aragoncillo did to disgrace the Filipinos. NAKAKAHIYA!!! That's what most of us would reaction immediately. We didn't we even pause for a while... and think..."Maybe these guys Mr. Aragoncillo and Mr. Michael Ray Aquino are just so nationalistic and still cares so much for their country?" Would you do the same way just for the heck of nationalism or patriotism? I gues not. I admire their courage and bravery for the love of their country even though they know pretty well the legal consequences of what they did would even cause their valuable life and career.
Guys please don't believe so much on the media...that's superficial. They can be so tricky...they can twist and bend facts and realities just to entertain people with limited information. And most of all, don't judge these people for you don't know them personally and their main motives and objectives.
JOTIM, natawa ako sa komento mo ah...ok na nung una ang entrada mo bandang huli nakikita rin ang panggagalaiti mo, hehe:D
PING, hindi naman ako pro-government pero proactive ako. Maraming paraan para ipakita ang pagmamahal sa bansa, hindi naman sa ganyang lantarang pandaraya at handang ibuwis ang credibilidad para sa opposition sa gobyerno, lalo na White House, FBI at marines ang concerned. Hay!
Being an intelligence analyst does provide one access to intelligence information but I doubt that the information passed by Aragoncillo was in the top secret category. It might have been confidential information but probably not top secret or restricted. It is almost difficult to imagine that in this post 911 era, when the US homeland security had been issuing orange and ambert alerts and what not, the White House computer security would be easily breached by an internal staffer. The press also seems to purport that Aragoncillo had been spying for years – far out. In such a Fort Knox quality , virtually impregnable computer installation as the White House, one would imagine that user access entitlements to data and applications are meticulously monitored , log access are reviewed daily and staffer keystrokes recorded and email communication scanned for potential security infraction. Just me, but I don’t think Aragoncillo is guilty of espionage. At worst, he has violated White House security policy by disseminating highly confidential information without authorization. It is a serious infraction nonetheless.
If he is found guilty of espionage, he could be hanged. If found guilty of passing confidential info, they could shave him bald everyday for 10 years, pour red ants into his head and prick every ant dead with an ice pick – the penalty for gross stupidity.
hi teacher sol,
pareho kami ni bw at ping ng sentimiyento... ewan ko kung dahil ba nasa pinas ako kaya ganito ang pag-iisip ko. sina bw at ping din kaya, nasa pinas din?
the main thing this incident shows me is: the US spies not only on perceived enemies, but also on "friends". noon kasi kala ko gawagawa lang ng mga communist propagandists iyong theories nila re. US having a hand in philippine affairs, etc. Now- i wonder if that might not be so farfetched after all. at the very least, the US knows secrets that would probably destabilize those in power in this nation when revealed.
tungkol naman sa pagpapagamit sa opposition/ "destabilizers"---
sa pagkaintindi ko ay ganito: ang impormasyong kinuha ni aragancillo ay tungkol sa pilipinas, specifically tungkol sa administrasyon ni pres. arroyo. if the info was damaging to her, kanino nga naman ipagkakatiwala ni aragoncillo ang information? ang lagay naman ibigay niya ito sa GMA camp, who will only bury the info. as they keep trying to do. with the paranoia in the GMA camp nowadays, it seems that anyone who criticizes the administration is a "destabilizer" or an "oppositionist". Never mind if the criticism is legitimate (like the north railway project that is severely overpriced and appears to have grossly disadvantageous provisions, or the bogus fertilizer subsidies now being probed).
pero lumalayo na ko sa orig. topic. on aragoncillo again--kung di importante ang naipasang impormasyon, why make a big deal about it...dapat sana lowkey nalang ang naging approach, diba. or did they want to make an example of aragoncillo?
whatever it was that he stole/disseminated, he must have thought it had substance and was at least worth looking into.
your comment about burning flags reminded me of this statement uttered by micheal douglas in the movie The American President: "You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest."
yun na muna...ang HABA na ata. pasensiya na teacher sol sa length ha.
hi teacher sol!
This Aragoncillo case is another hump in the road to a better Philippine image. Sometimes I just can't help but lose hope for the state of govt over there but then again there are people like you who try to do the right thing and a hint of hope arises.
very nice ones from bw and sassafras.
i think it might be true that aragoncillo thought that the info could be useful against GMA. with the desperate measures the govt employs against detractors, people are becoming desperate, too, to prove that she is not worth it. and Aragoncillo may be a victim, too - of desperate politicians to bring Gloria down, and a victim of his own folly, too, not thinking 'bout infraction he committed or the consequences it would cost him.
hi marisol,
i share some of your sentiments but i just don't get it why arroyo or the philippine government for that matter seems to overlook the fact that the u.s. government is spying on her, and that arroyo should be gloating, even thanking the u.s. for catching a spy who leaked classified information about her. this only confirms the fact that our national sovereignty is only good on paper and that u.s.-philippine special relations can never really be a relationship among equals.
Sir Ping,
You have a very nice comment on the issue, it sounds to me that this is the common view of mistah.
BUT unfortunately I'm NOT fully convinced with the statement "Maybe these guys Mr. Aragoncillo and Mr. Michael Ray Aquino are just so nationalistic and still cares so much for their country?"…….Nationalistic in what means? sa kapakanan ng iilang tao or pansarili lang?
Hindi kaya??!! …They are trying to devastate lang the present government? Kasi si Mr. Aquino ay right hand ni Lacson before. Simpleng tanong bakit ngayon lang nila ginawa yan bakit hindi nung panahon ni Erap? At bakit wala sa Pilipinas si Aquino? Bakit hindi siya makauwi ng pilipinas?
I’m not pro-Gloria …. Hmmmm Lacson pwede siguro… :-)
sa totoo lang, di ako belive sa patriotism kayan ni mr. aragoncillo. kasi he is already a US citizen the very fact he denounced his filipino citizenship syempre ang loyalty nya sa US na, so something must be going on. malaking negotiation to....
basta ang alam ko may mae extradite na 4 high ranking officials ng pinas (ang isa yata ay ex-official na) but may immunity ang mga phil. officials na kapag ang punishment yata ay with in 5 years of imprisonment, ligtas sila, pero from 6 years upwards, sila ay makukulong o pwedeng ma extradite. parang ang punishment sa kasong yan ay 5 years lang, so ligtas pa rin ang mga mokong sa kalaboso! hehehe any lawyers here para maintindihan ko ang sinulat ko? heheheheheheh!
What was written is just what have been heard!! So many reactions came out, different feelings, emotions, and judgements as well. How come we judge so easily? Have we already gathered facts behind all those things we learned from Washington?
I remembered 2 days ago, i was preparing some potatoes to be mashed for supper. Of course I would choose the clean and good ones hey. I did throw one potato because it looks rotten, the peel is already black and really looks not appealing anymore. But when my friend peeled it off and sliced, it's still clean and unblemished inside. Guys, we might miss a "good potato" by immediately judging this guys Aragoncillo and Aquino! Remember that "the end always does not justify the means". There might be something in those documents that Filipino people should know, and all these years are kept sealed. What if it,contains an information that says the Filipinos are already being betrayed by the government Did it ever crossed your mind "why is there such thing as papers in the white house concerning the Phils?", "what the heck is reason why it's top secret thing?, "why it's being sealed for the public?", "what Arroyo has in her mind to do with our country"?, "why on earth the US is so interested in a country that's heading downhill?", and most of all Aragoncillo et al will not do it without a purpose. I don't think he's vandalizing or just playing around stupid. My point is,let's find out first what it's all about, the story behind, and what it has to do with both countries rather than convicting him right away just because he has stolen something. Check the history guys, you can find so many characters before who did what we call "criminal acts" at first but in the end, they became heroes!!
Remember "heroes are people not so extra-ordinary but has done something extra-ordinary in an extra-ordinary times". Stop pointing out angry fingers to them, look what's gonna happen next, but it's alright to listen to different views though. In the meantime, why don't we enjoy first a delicious mashed potato......but hey,filipino rice is still the best!!
HELLO ALL,
Great discussion we have here about this hot issue.
This news really got me because it was in the front page of The Washington Post which I'm subscribed everyday, it talked about a Filipino who was accused of espionage and about the dirty politics in the country. On the page was a photo of the rallyists and the situation was getting out of hand. You know, I'm just a few blocks away from The White House. And the Philippines seldom get it on the front page of a national newspaper here.
Two Saturdays ago, there was a protest here in The Capitol by hundreds and thousands of rallyists (anti-war), it was a nationwide rally. They have the usual banners, straemers and placards, people walking around the Capitol shouting and chanting their concerns, there were even ladies who took off their shirsts shouting "Breasts not Bombs" (breast cancer org). But it was a peaceful rally because they didn't go beyond the rules and regulations, they didn't fight or put their hands on any of the guards or marshalls or police. How can we do that in our country? Is Martial Law needed to instill discipline among the people?
Tama... Sabihin mo, wag muna silang mag generalize.. And also let's not pass judgement this early...
They might did it for a good reason (or maybe that's what they thought it is the best for the country and for them) but then again it should've and could've been done a better and the right way...
Kasi kahit gaano kalinis ang intensiyon pag dinaan sa maling pamamaraan, mali pa rin talaga ang dating...
Let's just hope and pray na magiging maayos na ang lahat para naman bumuti buti na ang Pilipinas...
Wag kayong maniwala dyan…. Hindi totoo yam.Black propaganda yan nila First Genteleman laban kay Lacson. Si Lacson ang puntirya nyan. wag ninyong ikahiya. Ang pinoy. Mas mga walanghiya ang mga FBI. Mas nababayaran ang mga yan.
Ayon sa direct source… yan ang inasikaso ni First Gentleman dyan sa US. akala nila nagbabakasyon lang. pwede bang makapag-relax. Yun eh ginigisa sila sa Pinas. Naghanap nang ibang isyu para matakpan ang ,edyo masalimuot na sitwasyon ngayon ni GMA. Ang hirap dito sa mga Arroyo, nangdedehado pa nang kapwa Pinoy para ma-maintain lang ang status nila. As you’ve said, media is part of the game. Kung baga sa pusoy o kaya lucky 9 media ang taga pinta…. Hehehehehehe. Mahaba ang kwento nyan…. Hindi lang si Lacson. Ang puntirya nyan. ang dulo nyan ay si Erap. Gusto k’se nilang pahinain ang suporta sa oposisyon nang mga tao ni Erap at Lacson.
Bakit kapag yung sovereignty nang US ang tinatamaan ay pati tayo ay nakikiramay? Pero kapag ang Pinas halos inaapak-apakan na ay halos wala tayong pakialam. Kung may mahuhuli bang spy sa Pinas na Kano ikakahiya ba sya nang bansang Amerika? Lahat nang bagay ay may purpose. Hindi nyo k’se alam kung ano ang purpose kung sakaling ginawa naman talaga nila yun. Yang US ang isa sa pinaka-PRANING (Paranoid) na bansa sa buong mundo. Pakiramdam nyan kaaway ang nakapalibot sa kanila. I’m not anti-US. pero ganon sila ka-praning. Kaya mag-ingat kayong mga nandyan sa US, Baka dumating ang araw pag-dadamputin kayo nagn mga kano dyan.
Iba na ang mundo ngayon…. para mamuhay nang tahimik ang mga karaniwang mamayan kailangang gumalaw nang maayos ang mga intelligence, Homeland Security, FBI, CIS, NBI, Marines, BATMAN, SUPERMAN, At kung ano ano pa hehehehehehehe. Malayo na tayo sa panahon noon. May nakikining sa usapan ninyong mag-asawa sa telepono. Kitang kita ang galaw mo through Satellites. Alam nila kung bumisita ka kay Michael Ray Aquino or Argoncillo, hehehehe. Marami pa yang mga kasunod…. Sa sobrang ka-praningan nang US darating ang araw na lahat nang expat dyan ay pagdidiskitahan nila.
Hindi naman sya siguro mag-serve sa White House kung hindi sya US Citizen, pwede ba kahit hindi?
Thank you for giving a view to the other side of the story. Exactly what I felt when I was reading reactions about this spying issue.
I do understand that those abroad would feel 'shame' about negative news. I know it does affect your dealing with foreigners and how they look at you. But we who are left here in the Philippines - we who cannot be called heroes since the term 'bagong bayani' is only for those who left for better opportunities abroad - that is the least of our concerns. We have no time to even consider about what other countries would think about us because we are too busy trying to make ends meet, because the present government is too busy trying to stay in power to think about truly serving the people.
My apologies if my term -those who left for better opportunities abroad- sounds like abandoning the country. Please don't get me wrong. I myself would take the opportunity if it comes my way because try as we might, even the most competitive income here would not suffice to afford a house, car, vacations and all comforts plus substantial retirement benefits (unless you make jeuteng your business on the side). I am proud of those who left, for their courage to explore opportunities coupled with hardships, not to mention the pain of being AWAY FROM HOME.
If Aragoncillo and Aquino are truly working for the good of the Philippines, then that is a heroic act we must be thankful for. If it is done to serve evil and individual interests, it will come back to them like it is happening now. (I just hope their enduring prison now is still part of a heroic deed).
The U.S. or any other country for that matter will always serve their interests first. Our history says so. I think what we must learn as a people, is how to be one and united in making our country as progressive as it can be. We're missing that point still, with all the problems we're saddled with.
Again, my apologies if speaking my mind came out negative. I rely on your gumption to take the positive instead, and learn from it.
Take care everyone!
my late reaction... (better late than never ika nga..)
I think hindi naman nakakahiya yung ginawa nila...sino bang makikinabang?? in general yung mga Pilipino ang nakikinabang dahil nalalaman natin kung ano ba talaga ang nangyayari na sa bayan natin at ano ba talaga ang ginagawa ng US government sa mga third world country tulad ng Pilipinas.
Actually kung may "violation" man siguro dahil may lapses sa security ng US Military Intelligence system... anyway, nasa korte na ng US yung kaso, I think fair naman ang justice system nila... and they could defend themselves.
another twist na naman to sa mga nangyayari sa Pilipinas.. the news this morning showed Dir. Wycoco preparing to leave for US, what for? para lalong idiin si Aquino & Aragoncillo? I think these two guys done more good than Garci. Si Garci dapat ang minomonitor ng US kung gusto nilang tumulong sa Pilipinas. Sya kasi ang puno't dulo ng problema dito sa atin....
Yung mga nasa Pinoy na nasa abroad, siguro iba ang masasabi nyo kapag andito kayo sa Pilipinas..
hi ulit teacher sol ;)
i read your comment on peaceful assembly. heto naman ang isang link tungkol sa nakita ninyong scene sa news
http://arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=71184&d=5&m=10&y=2005
tulad nga ng sabi ng iba dito, sometimes the images in media does not reflect the full story.
uso din ba ang permits sa U.S bago mag-rally? dito kasi people have to secure a permit from the city mayor before they can rally. ang problema, kapag ka-partido ng administration ang mayor, 50/50 nalang yung chance na mabigyan sila ng permit.
also, hindi na "maximum tolerance" ang practice ng mga pulis kapag may rally: CPR na--- "Calibrated Pre Emptive Response"--- essentially ibinabawal nito na mag-rally ang kahit na sinong grupo, except sa designated "freedom parks". Strictly enforced din ang "no permit no rally" policy. If these are violated, police will use any means to disperse the rally...including violence and arrests.
i wonder if military personnel, policemen, and government personnel in the US also need the president's permission to appear before the senate. sa EO 464 kasi (very recently put into effect) bawal nang humarap sa senate or congressional hearings and investigations kapag walang pahintulot mula kay pres. arroyo.
as we speak, there's also talk of declaring a "state of national economic emergency"...no less than Raul Gonzales (justice secretary) mentioned this. sabi niya, hindi daw martial law ang ide-declare, but may possibility daw na "state of national economic emergency" ang i-declare pag nagpatuloy ang rallies. that means that the president will be granted emergency powers to go with that declaration.
Pading Rey,
You hit the nail! right on the spot. Your line of thinking is as good as mine. As I have said before, people will interpret the way the media wants it... people with limited information will react based on what the media wants them to react. There's no need to devulge sensitive information (which Philippine & US media is hidding from us) just read between the lines... analize deeper mga kabayan of what is happening.
i am never define by the success or demise ng mga kababayan natin. to each our own. kung ano ang success natin, is because of what we did and not because of what others did. of course there are trailblazers that pave the way which made it easy for us to attain success. and of course there are many to whom we are beholden to along the way. but mostly our success is the sweat of our endeavors.
i am proud of who i am and the success that i have attained no matter how miniscule it is in the eyes of others.
i am a filipino. but during my naval career i was a navy first and filipino second. there were many occassions during my naval career that i disappointed many kababayans because i have maintained my fiduciary accountability and never help any of our kababayans pertaining to their monetary problems.
if you are sure of who you are, then there is no shame in knowing that a pinoy is currently a subject of a spy investigation. and people who knows you would not judge you because of what others does dishonorably.
enough of feeling shameful!
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