After being on what they call a "triple red alert", the police forces still managed to see five bombs go off in the Metro. On 01.01.01 radio announcements that Marines were to be deployed in Manila are only adding to speculation that the Estrada government would be increasingly turning to the military to keep the impeached president in power.

Coincidentally, the BUSH adminstration made known it's PRO-ERAP stand. Read incoming State Department official.

Some sympathy or just too cool to be hip.. In the face of Filipinos dead and injured after a bombing spree in five locations around the Metro, the President decided to attend two weddings hours after the incidents threw the Metro into paranoid mode. This lavish display of affection and show of concern by attending lavish weddings when the country is facing a recession, rising unemployment and political chaos in the next year is reminiscent of the clueless and insensitive Marcos parties, which were thrown at the height of social and economic unrest.
The families of the two policemen who were killed by the bombs must be really touched by the thought that their Commander-in-Chief cares for their welfare so much he makes an effort to show that he is enjoying himself at banquets and drinking feasts but has them in mind for sure.

A stark comparison to the Chief Justice Davide, who was also invited to one of the weddings. He opted to send a proxy instead. 31 Dec 2000

Cory Statement United OppositionStatement

NEWSFLASH !!!!
EXPLOSIONS ROCK MANILA
As of 1415H another bomb went off at Pasay road and EDSA near the hotel.
As of this 1PM Dec30 2000 four explosions have been reported in the following areas (source on the spot as well as radio reports):
1. LRT Station Blumentritt (railcars blown up).
2. Plaza Ferguson
3. Superlines Cubao Bus Terminal explosion
4. NAIA nr Cargo terminal (alleged target Aviation Fuel depot)
more reports follow. 1310H30Dec2000

NOTE TO ENTENG ROMANO: change your service. your SMART phone not getting my text messages. PLDT may be sabotaging.

Humble observations on Rizal day massacre.

In a nationally televised speech today, the President ordered his Police to go after "the usual suspects". Hint: New People's Army and the Muslim rebels. [Later in the day- NAKUPO, Tiyak nga. As per press report sila daw sabi ni Babs.]

The President also ordered more intelligence from the Army. We hope he gets it. He needs it more than anyone.

In Makati, a Muslim man was held for questioning and grilled after he claimed ownership to a bag of mangoes set aside by the bomb disposal unit and defused. It is yet unsure whether the Mangoes were ripe or not. That must have been some mighty powerful kalburo he used.

Truth to tell, the Erap police had succeeded in taking away gun permits from citizens. Only people close to the President, including some movie actors, and members of Congress were given permits. Then a series of seemingly "acoustic" bomb explosions in malls, the government put in place security measures designed to get people used to being frisked, and fielded Marines to monitor the people.

The New People's Army are not known to toss bombs in places where many Filipinos can get killed. But they are frequesntly blames as useful scapegoats for fascist regimes.

Then Abu Sayyaf, the other threat. But they have been linked in newspaper and Asiaweek reports to a powerful man in the Estrada cabinet as having shared the ransom money.

Read New York Times Story:
Bomb Blasts Kill at Least 13 in Manila

"If the public must force the resignation, I do hope that you can keep the military from playing a prominent role. If the military is seen leading the charge, there will be great criticism out of Washington and the legitimacy of the government to follow, even if it's Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, will be brought into question," said the incoming State Department official.