AMIGO The Movie - A PLOT from the PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR

Forget NOT the turn-of-the-19th century genocidal INVASION of the Philippines by the BALD EAGLE Nation

"When U.S. troops garrison his village, Rafael comes under pressure to collaborate from the blood-and-guts Colonel Hardacre (Chris Cooper) as he tries not to betray his people, especially his brother Simón (Ronnie Lazaro), head of the local Filipino guerillas. A sympathetic American lieutenant (Garret Dillahunt) learns that “hearts and minds” cannot be won at gunpoint. A devious Spanish friar (Yul Vazquez) thwarts communication with his spiteful intrigues. Rafael is forced to make the near-impossible, potentially deadly decisions faced by civilians in an occupied country. Friendship and betrayal, romance and heart-breaking violence, AMIGO is a page torn from the forgotten history of imperialism and a mirror of today’s unresolvable conflicts."

- info from AMIGO the Movie Facebook page

AMIGO - Teaser Trailer 

Here’s the teaser trailer Rezo created for Cannes. Doesn’t it make you want to see the whole movie?

(click image to go to movie trailer at John Sayles blog)

Amigo The Movie 

AMIGO, the 17th feature film from writer-director John Sayles, stars Joel Torre as Rafael Dacanay, a village mayor caught in the murderous cross-fire of the Philippine-American War in 1900. When U.S. troops garrison his village, Rafael comes under pressure to collaborate from the blood-and-guts Colonel Hardacre (Chris Cooper) as he tries not to betray his people, especially his brother Simón (Ronnie Lazaro), head of the local Filipino guerillas. A sympathetic American lieutenant (Garret Dillahunt) learns that “hearts and minds” cannot be won at gunpoint. A devious Spanish friar (Yul Vazquez) thwarts communication with his spiteful intrigues. Rafael is forced to make the near-impossible, potentially deadly decisions faced by civilians in an occupied country. Friendship and betrayal, romance and heart-breaking violence, AMIGO is a page torn from the forgotten history of imperialism and a mirror of today’s unresolvable conflicts.

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The REAL FACE of the TALIBANs

This is the REAL FACE of the TALIBANS.

Down with the soulless, evil Talibans! They are the epitome of satanic/ruthless oppression of women.

I am a virulent opponent of Western Imperialism. The Talibans' strength is a product of US intervention in Afghanistan during the Cold War. BUT, I think international military presence should NOT be pulled out of Afghanistan until the demonically sexist Talibans are down and out. 

From AOL News' "TIME Cover Shows Maimed Woman"

"... In retaliation for running away from abusive in-laws who treated her like a slave, the young woman, named Aisha, was dragged out of her bed in the middle of the night by the Taliban, who then allowed her husband to cut off her ears and he...r nose. She passed out from the pain but awoke choking on her own blood. They left her in a field to die, but she survived. The photo shows a heart-shaped hole where her nose used to be. The headline suggests this is "what happens if we leave Afghanistan.

"The Associated Press reports that in a matter of days, the photo of Aisha has quickly become a symbol of the stakes of a nearly decade-old war. Although TIME was braced for public outcry over such a graphic image--the editors even consult...ed psychologists about the effect it could have on children--the ensuing discussion in blogs, Twitter and the like has been totally different. "It's provoked a tremendous amount of conversation, which is exactly what we wanted," Time Managing Editor Richard Stengel told AP. "It both gets people's attention and kind of repels people's attention, but it commands you to look at it and have an opinion about it."

"So what has happened to Aisha since all the publicity? She is safe in a women's shelter in Kabul and will get reconstructive surgery in the United States with the assistance of TIME, humanitarian organizations and others. She said she posed for the TIME cover photo so people could see the potential consequences, especially for Afghan women, if there is a Taliban resurgence."

Photo credit: 

Time Magazine, August 9, 2010 issue

Photo of Aisha, an 18-year-old Afghan woman. Aisha's nose and ears were sliced off in 2009, under orders from a local Taliban commander acting as a judge, as punishment for fleeing her husband's home.

Jc de los Reyes on the "Truth Commission" (headed by the Hilarious one)

Jc de los Reyes: truth commission. the truth is the commission is chaired by former cj davide who accepted an ambassadorial post from a person for which the commission was created. aside from legal infirmities, legal ethics ought to apply.

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Jc de los Reyes Hi Ninia. davide is a lawyer whose professionl services to arroyo had some confidentiality maybe, not that kind where an atty client relationship was formally established which would be covered by the provisions of the code of professional ...responsibility but, i believe delikadeza comes in. He was an ambassador...the president's representative in the u.n. Sana when aquino declared and he was inclined to support him, nagresign na siya kaagad. He is partial, either for arroyo or aquino...arroyo because he served under her or aquino because he is serving under him... the truth commission can only be via a congressional act right?

MY COMMENT: moreover, sir Jc, Davide "legitimized" the 2001 power grab of Arrobo from the democratically, NON-HOCUS-PCOS elected Estrada, with a never-before-heard "constructive resignation" political animal of a ruling.

The song that candidly speaks of the ills of this generation: Awit ng Ating Panahon

This song by Rey Valera is a candid, if but poignant, articulation of what the country has become at this point in Philippine history--the time of Rey's and our generation. Listen to this song, which is banned from broadcast air playing,  for a reality check, all of you who have been acculturated to the immorality of society under the almost continuous string of yellow administrations. 

AWIT NG ATING PANAHON
by Rey Valera


Ang aking bayan
Mahal ng kalikasan
Palaging may araw
Maghapon ang kwentuhan


Sa aking panahon
May formalin na ang gulay
Mangidnap ng tao
Parang hanapbuhay


Mayro'n kaming Xerex
Gigisingin ka sa sex
Moral namin babang-baba
Nangre-rape pati bata


Ito ang bayan ko ngayon
Ito ang aking panahon
Kung maaalala mo kami
Ito ang aking panahon


Sikat ang Pinatubo
Umalis mga Kano
Nguni't ang isip namin
G.I. Joe pa rin


Pagkatapos mag-aral
Takbo ay Amerika
Tingin namin sa bayan
Ay walang pag-asa


Salitang pagkakaisa
Ay narinig na namin
Nguni't di alam ang gagawin
At ano'ng ibig sabihin


Ito ang bayan ko ngayon
Ito ang aming panahon
Kung maaalala n'yo kami
Ito ang aming panahon


Sa aking panahon
Uso ang mag-Saudi
Pag-uwi ay mayro'ng TV
May blue seal ang barkada


May ilang linggo
Magbebenta na ulit
Pinayaman ibang bayan
Pamilya'y iiwanan


Kung marami sanang
Maka-Diyos sa gobyerno
At hindi na Diyos and pera
Baka mayro'ng pag-asa


Ito ang bayan ko ngayon
Ito ang aming panahon
Kung maaalala n'yo kami
Ito ang aming panahon


Kung maaalala (sana nga)
N'yo kami(kabataan)
Ito ang aming panahon.