Homeland only for the Americans

The arrest of FBI analyst Leandro Aragoncillo and Michael Ray Aquino is an indication that the United States is close to being a police state, especially for any new immigrant or visitor. They are always a potential target for surveillance and monitoring. In the case of Aquino, considering his background, this applies all the more. He didn’t realize that he could get himself in hot water. The mere possession of any classified document or information is a serious crime in the US. In this age of post-911 paranoia in the US, this looks like we won’t see the end of this anytime soon. The sad part is our government is really helpless when it comes to such matters to the point of embarrassment. You always have to be on the guard when visiting the US nowadays. A virtual police state, a mere tip can get you into trouble. To paraphrase Trini Lopez’s song "This land is my land – this land is not made for you and me but for Americans only".

Double Life

The issue of conflict of interest has surfaced once again, this time involving Roberto Romulo and Equitable PCI Bank. Romulo claimed to be an independent director when actually working for the interest of the Gos. A Sept. 14 news article reported: "The surveillance unit of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Compliance and Enforcement Department (CED), has recommended the imposition of a fine of P10,000 up to P1 million on EPCIB and its subsidiary PCI Leasing & Finance Inc. for their failure to comply with securities rules… The imposition of administrative charges was a result of acts committed by former officials of EPCIB to allegedly allow the founding Go family to maintain control of the country’s third largest lender. The CED investigation showed that some former bank officials might have connived to have Roberto Romulo elected as an independent director of EPCIB despite his lack of qualifications. The investigation was in response to the complaint filed by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) against EPCIB’s former top officers – chairman Antonio Go, corporate secretary Nilo Divina and directors Anthony Conway and Peter Go-Pailan – for alleged fraud. The GSIS claimed that EPCIB failed to disclose that Romulo was the chairman and director of Equicom Systems Management Inc., a company majority owned by Equitable Development Corp., a substantial shareholder of EPCIB." Atty. Frank Chavez’s case against him at the Ombudsman seems to have similarities. Romulo claimed to be from the private sector while enjoying the privilege and the influence of a government official at the same time. Roberto Romulo, in his capacity as Presidential Senior Adviser on International Competitiveness, was charged by Chavez for violating the constitutional prohibition on private sector employment and affiliation, the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. With present developments, the Chavez case is expected to prosper. Such are the wages of a double life.

Non-Conservative Compensations

The insurance industry Spy-Ring reported that employees of Nicphil, which has gone belly-up since its mismanagement at the start of the year, are shocked at the enormous salary being received by this government-appointed conservator allegedly to the tune of P200,000. The conservator, who is rumored to be a feisty female and the flame of a controversial figure in the industry, even appointed an assistant with a P50,000 salary. Employees are wondering how the company could possibly recover with the staggering amounts collected by the conservator and the assistant. The Spy-Ring also disclosed that the board has a lot to answer for to shareholders, employees, policyholders, and agents since they fired the president last April.

Are You Intaxicated?

Lest you’re wondering if a terrible typo error has been committed because of too much alcohol, the word is one of this year’s winners in The Washington Post’s "Mensa Invitational," where readers are asked to take any word from the dictionary and give it an entirely new meaning by adding, subtracting or changing a letter/letters from the original word. The top winners include: Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it. Karmageddon: It’s like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it’s like, a serious bummer. Glibido: All talk and no action. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you’ve accidentally walked through a spider web. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn into after finding half a worm in the fruit you’re eating. The word that got extra credit is Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease; while the pick of the lot is Ignoranus: A person who’s both stupid and an asshole.

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