Thursday, December 28, 2006

WHISPERING HOPE

Cheers of awe on fireworks displays seen on the boob tube all over the world and the deafening little dynamites of firecrackers in the neighborhood welcomed 2007. Almost a thousand people were injured during the merrymaking but no one died according to news reports. Despite the elaborate fireworks and the injuries sustained by many, the year-end celebrations seem to have become so trite, so ordinary and have turned into a mere respite for the grueling days to come.


Nonetheless, 2006 was a rather bleak year that so many of our countrymen continuously seek their luck abroad. In my own family, four out of seven siblings are now working in the U. S. and Canada with their families. Our Christmas had become virtually a “cyber” Christmas as we greeted each other either through telephone or the webcam. There no longer were warm embraces and kisses during “media noche”.


Yet, there appear more reasons to hope for this year than to wallow in helplessness. There are telltale signs of character changes forced by the issues and events that surround our people. Some groups are beginning to be emboldened in speaking for this country as they witnessed PGMA despicably breaching our sovereignty when she spirited out rape convict U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith from the Makati City Jail in the dead of the night without any court order.


The big storms are also over now. Typhoon Milenyo and Reming that snuffed the lives of many in Bicol Region have even strengthened many in facing natural calamities and we see them now rising from the rubbles.


We see the vast majority of people in destitution, financially struggling inch by inch into a more dignified living. The peso, getting stronger in value, may also be indicative of a rising economy.


The churches from different congregations and sects have been awakened, now taking the streets as their virtual pulpits to speak for truth and justice.


In our city, a new mayor will take his oath of office in July 2007. Our new mayor, whoever he may be, is expected to finish the two bridges in Puntod and in Carmen. Thus, we see an end to the endless traffic jams that we experienced during the Christmas season.


We will also have a new congressman who, I suppose, will be a lot better than the person who betrayed us and tried to desecrate our present Constitution. Tinnex will also end his governorship in Rotary District 3870 after he was adjudged by many to have flunked the well-established Four Way Test of Rotary International.


Incidentally, the Four Way Test was an ingenious tool in changing the characters of Americans during the Great Depression (1930s) other than the “Big Deal” of the late Pres. Theodore Roosevelt that led to its booming economy.


Should the opposition congressmen swell in numbers after the election, we will see the President being abdicated through impeachment. A new leadership may usher a new era of good governance.


But the darkness is not yet over. Political turmoil and the prospects of bloody, dirty and fraudulent elections still hover in the air. The tempest of the two-century old war in Muslim Mindanao and the guerilla warfare waged by the NPAs still bedevil our nation.


They say the darkest point of the night is immediately before the sunrise. In the dusk, there is a muffled voice of a whispering hope in our hearts that tells me our sorrows will be appeased and rejoicing will follow in the coming days.


In our little way, we need to take our own part in ensuring that a bright new day will come. We have to seriously assume the roles we have opted to take in life.


In the end, it is up to each of us. Let us not think too big a leap for this year. As the forwarded message of Atty. Oka Musni on New Year’s Eve goes:


“Sometimes, we put too much passion on the biggest dreams and priorities in life that we fail to love the smallest pleasure in simple things. We search so much for the right choices, for the right person (politician), for the right paths (P.I./Con-Ass/Con-Con) to walk through, for the right time, and for the right reasons. But life is not about searching for the things that can be found. It is about letting the unexpected happen and finding the things you never searched for.”


As we say goodbye to 2006, let the good things we experienced inspire us to a better 2007. I am wishing you a very prosperous, fruitful, successful, healthy, blessed, happy, fulfilling, satisfying, challenging New Year!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

SUPER ULTRA MEGA NINCOMPOOP

Intently following the proceedings in the Lower House of Congress on the desire of the majority Congressmen to push the Charter Change can be a cause for the upsurge of one’s blood pressure.


The minions of rabbit-eared Yoda-looking De Venecia mangled its own house rules by amending its various provisions thereby making it convenient for them to pass the proposal for a Constituent Assembly. According to Cong. Roilo Golez, the House Rules adopted for the approval of the proposal on constitutional revision has become a lot easier than the process in naming a street.


The rules had been so relaxed despite the fact that this involves changing the provisions of the fundamental law of the land. Apparently, the changes in the rules of the proceedings have been so designed in railroading the passing of the Resolution.


The majority represented by Speaker Joe De Venecia, Nograles, Lagman, Villafuerte and now our very own Congressman, Tinnex Jaraula, were found to have played so many tricks if only to attain their desired end.


However, they stumbled along the way as according to Minority Floor Leader Chiz Escudero “haste really makes waste”. In order to gag the mouths of the Opposition, all of their legitimate objections were brushed off by the Acting Chairman not realizing that millions of T.V. viewers were observing them until the wee hours.


Early dawn of Wednesday, our very own representative Tinnex Jaraula was found to have started reading a different resolution not even known to the Congressmen themselves. He had evidently vacated his very own proposal that was approved to be resolved or turned down, in utter derogation of the house rules.


Like the People’s Initiative, this process to convene the Constitutional Assembly (Con-Ass) for Charter Change (Cha-Cha) has become a grand deception of the Filipino people. One really wonders why the majority Congressmen are adamantly pushing the Cha-Cha through Con-Ass when SWS Survey has already showed that the great majority or 67% of our people have already voiced out that at present, they do not want any revision or amendment to our Constitution.


The rumors that this is done for three reasons is unfolding as a reality, namely: (1) in order to prevent the clamor for the Impeachment of PGMA, especially if opposition congressmen will win in the 2007 elections; (2) the Con-Ass is also designed to let the “graduating” congressmen continue their office; and (3) Finally, it is further designed for the President to perpetuate her reign in power beyond 2010.


What is disheartening is that the manner in which this Con-Ass is being brazenly manipulated by the majority Congressmen appears too gross or uncouth or in the words of Cong. Allan Peter Cayetano “napakagarapal”.


What makes it so shameful for us Cagayanons is that our very own Representative, Tinnex Jaraula, has become the major player in these manipulative and deceitful acts. He has unwittingly shown his true colors.


Proper observation of the acts of the majority Congressmen would show that they have made themselves a ship of fools who without yielding to reason would only want to please their matron PGMA. Have they virtually made themselves as the nincompoops in the lawmaking body, named by the late Teodoro Benigno, as the Cavern of Caligula?


How about our Congressman, Tinnex Jaraula, who has not even passed a single law in his eight-year stint in Congress? Has he now made himself as the Super Ultra Mega Nincompoop of them all in the desecration of our Constitution? Nong Tinnex, please don’t “CON-‘ASS’”!

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!

Two weeks ago, I was privileged to visit the booming city of Ho Chi Minh more popularly known as “Saigon”. I and a bosom friend, Atty. Oscar “Oka” Musni was invited by his brother, Nestor “Totoy” Musni to spend our birthdays there and to see and hear the sights and sounds of Saigon and the nearby places.


As we all know, Vietnam was a war torn country and was liberated from the repressive clutches of the United States in 1975. It is on its way to recovery, which beckons travelers to see it rising up from the rubbles. At present, it is rated as the second most peaceful and safe country in the world, next to Switzerland.


My journey started on the 13th day of November from here to Manila. It did not seem to start quite right. Upon arrival in Manila, my eyeglasses broke and so, I had to hurriedly visit an eye clinic in Glorietta, Makati. As I was leaving a day after, the optometrist advised me to temporarily bring two new pairs of glasses, one for distance and the other for reading. So I arrived in Saigon with two sets of spectacles.


Since Oka went a day ahead of me in Saigon, he and Totoy met me at the airport in the afternoon of November 14. We had dinner at a deli that sells all types of ham for our baguette (french bread) sandwich. We also had fine Italian wine and spent the night laughing, joking and remembering the distant past when Totoy and I were in the Jesuit seminary. Totoy, by the way, is the only brother of Oka and they both treat me no less than a brother.


My birthday is on the 15th of November. Oka and I woke up late and took our breakfast in the hotel nearby. Totoy had to work during daytime as a consultant of several big fishponds, so Oka and I were left to go around on our own. We decided to visit one of the famous market places, Bhen Tham Market and bought some cheap souvenirs. Thereafter, we went to the War Museum.


The war Museum exhibits thousands of photographs taken by more than hundreds of war photojournalists. Eighty-four of them died during the war. The grounds of the museum also featured various armaments, different types of tanks, big canons and huge artilleries with warheads that could reach a distance of thirty-two kilometers. The barrel itself of the largest artillery extends up to fifteen meters. Beside the big guns are war planes and choppers.


As I began to peer through the big war photographs, I cleaned up my eyeglasses (for distance) and it is so suddenly cracked. Without glasses, the pictures are just too blurry that I needed to wear my reading glasses and go so near the pictures that I want to see.


The good thing in wearing my reading glasses despite being too oddly near to what I’m looking at is that I see every detail of the pictures from one corner to another. Imagine me, hugging every big blown up picture tucked on the wall with my face about six inches away from what I’m looking at. It was like holding a magnifying glass and searching every significant part of the picture.


This went on all throughout the two buildings of the museum. And I felt a certain numbness deep inside as looking closely at the eyes of bewildered children or the scared face of a mother with her children wading through a deep river. I could almost smell the corpse of ordinary Vietnamese families in Mai lie. The bleeding flesh of the open wounds of soldier in the mud seemed to bring pain on me too. So suddenly, the pictures become so blurry again as my tears started to fall. The inhumanity that befell upon Vietcong as well as the Americans during the war was clearly made manifest in the pictures.


After seeing all the pictures, one could readily conclude that a war makes no sense at all except that it shows the cruelty of the beast inside a man. What a birthday treat that was!


Oka and I left the museum after taking photographs through our cell phones holding the shoulder of the bust of Ho Chi Minh.


Totoy, at about six o’clock in the afternoon waited for us in Highland Cafe at the back of a Big Opera House at the heart of the city. Highland Café is basically like our own Park Café where you can see all the motorcycles and other vehicles roving around in the middle of two streets. Despite the jarring sounds of motorcycles, the three of us managed to talk about petty things.


By the way, the population of Saigon is about seven million people while the motorcycles registered in its Transportation Office have reached a staggering number of three million. So, imagine the streets with so many motorcycles running in different directions while the cars, which are so few in number, try to find its way among the horde of motorbikes.


Totoy told me that he would spend for my big birthday dinner in Lions Beer Restaurant just a few minutes walk from Highland Café. We arrived there at about 7:30 P.M. Lions Beer Restaurant is so big, about the size of two Grand Caprice Restaurant, featuring a brewery inside.


As we sat down after being led by the waiter to our table, Totoy ordered for us dark beer at 1 liter per mug. The mug looks bigger than our ordinary pitcher. We had pig knuckles as our main dish. It tasted really good. Our conversation was so animated and the arguments on how to convert Dollars to Dong and Dong to Peso lasted till the wee hours until we decided to go back to our hotel.

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

JPEPA, ANOTHER GRAND DECEIT

The Supreme Court, in its decision on the fraudulent People’s Initiative, has pronounced that it is an “agenda” of PGMA. Such agenda has deceived more than six million people who were duped into signing a document for Charter Change. And yet, soon after the decision was rendered, the issue on JPEPA emerged.


JPEPA stands for Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement. It is by far the dumbest agreement or treaty PGMA has entered into.


JPEPA allows the dumping of toxic waste of Japan to the Philippines. Simply put, our country will become the garbage pit of the dirtiest and most hazardous waste at no cost at all to Japan (zero tariff).


Worse, PGMA kept the agreement secret even to the Senate which is supposed to review any treaty entered into by our country with any other country. Sen. Pia Cayetano said, “I can’t see any reason why the government should continue keeping the public in the dark on our commitments a month after the pact’s signing.”


The reality is that Japan produces more than 400 million tons of industrial waste alone every year. In simple terms, that would be about 70,000 shiploads of garbage.


In fact, in 1999, according to World Health Organization, a Japanese Company shipped 6,000 tons of waste that included used diapers, stained sanitary napkins, disposable plastic syringes and surgical gloves to our country. The incident drew complaints and prompted Japan to take back the shipment.


PGMA’s compliant cabal in the Department of Trade and Industry justified the inclusion of the toxic waste in the agreement as a “come on” for Japan to sign the agreement which they figured may not be implemented due to its illegality as it is banned by existing national and international laws. However, Atty. Jeremy Gatdula, a specialist in trade services, dismissed such hogwash reasoning. He said, when JPEPA is ratified, it could override the bans.


When interviewed on ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), Dr. Rene Opreneo, Executive Director of Fair Trade Alliance, disclosed that JPEPA as a whole will not even substantially benefit our country. It will tie our hands in dealing with other countries due to some provisions on exclusivity.


PGMA might not have realized that the dumping of hazardous and toxic waste into our communities will endanger public health and the integrity of our ecology. Even the DENR confirmed that our environment will suffer as a consequence of the flawed agreement. But has PGMA really cared?


Now, we are facing the embarrassment of preparing amendments to JPEPA as it shows the prospects of really hurting public health and our environment.


A story had been told that a species from planet Mars recently landed in Japan. He then visited a blighted area in the Philippines. He learned that 50 years ago, we were at war with Japan. The Mars “man” had only one conclusion: “That Japan won the war!”


Such a pathetic story is not far from reality. We have truly become a country of losers due to the acts of an erstwhile economist president whose dumb decisions have placed our nation in utter disarray.

Wednesday, November 1, 2006

DODONG QUIJADA

Last Friday night, after attending a birthday bash of my “binata” in Nazareth, I brought an old friend, Atty. Frank Vasig, to Dos Compadres Piano Bar in Pryce Plaza. Atty. Frank Vasig went down to Cagayan de Oro from Bukidnon to attend a two-day Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) to update himself on the new laws and decisions handed down by the Supreme Court.


Upon arrival at Dos Compadres, I saw the stage rather empty except for the organ player cum singer Dodong Quijada and a lady crooner singing familiar songs. I was a bit nostalgic as Pryce plaza was once my habitué every Saturday night in the past years listening to the Rock Beats, a band composed of not so-young yuppies singing the old tunes. Rock Beats had disbanded, I was told.


Dodong Quijada, who was once a low profile Rock Beats keyboard player, surprised us with his repertoire and held us in admiration of his songs until the wee hours. He performed with an enormous amount of talent blowing our heads off. Intently listening to him led me to question why he is still around while his talent could be sold anywhere else in the world.


So, before leaving, I talked to him for a while and he told me of all his travels around Asia. He was in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and even Brunei. He has performed in almost all types of five star hotels like Hilton, Shangrila and Intercon. Yet, Dodong opted to be around and decided to stay despite the minimal fees he received.


Dodong’s option to stick around is quite ironical in the backdrop of our political milieu. The recent Supreme Court decision that showed the grand deceit perpetrated by PGMA could have given him a signal that the incoming years will not be well at all. This matter however did not bother Dodong at all.


The last week’s conundrum on the decision involving the alleged people’s initiative filed by the Sigaw ng Bayan and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) does not seem to have taken a toll on Dodong. He just keeps on singing and probably continues to believe that our government will do well because of the vigilance of many. Such vigilance was made manifest by the eight justices of the Supreme Court who held on to their principles in protecting the Constitution.


Justice Carpio who named ULAP and Sigaw ng Bayan the “Lambino Group” concluded the decision with these stinging words against PGMA:


No amount of signatures, not even the 6,327,952 million signatures gathered by the Lambino Group, can change our Constitution contrary to the specific modes that the people, in their sovereign capacity, prescribed when they ratified the Constitution. The alternative is an extra-constitutional change, which means SUBVERTING THE PEOPLE’S SOVEREIGN WILL AND DISCARDING THE CONSTITUTION.


Incantations of “people’s voice,” “people’s sovereign will,” or “let the people decide” cannot override the specific modes of changing the Constitution as prescribed in the Constitution itself. Otherwise, the Constitution – the people’s fundamental covenant that provides enduring stability to our society – becomes easily susceptible to manipulative changes by POLITICAL GROUPS GATHERING SIGNATURES THROUGH FALSE PROMISES. Then, the Constitution ceases to be the bedrock of the nation’s stability.


The Lambino Group claims that their initiative is the “people’s voice.” However, the Lambino Group unabashedly states in ULAP Resolution No. 2006-02, in the verification of their petition with the COMELEC, that “ULAP maintains its UNQUALIFIED SUPPORT TO THE AGENDA OF HER EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS.” The Lambino Group thus admits that their “people’s” initiative is an “UNQUALIFIED SUPPORT TO THE AGENDA” OF THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT to change the Constitution. This forewarns the Court to be wary of incantations of “people’s voice” or “sovereign will” in the present initiative.


This court cannot betray its primordial duty to defend and protect the Constitution. The Constitution, which embodies the people’s sovereign will, is the bible of this Court. THIS COURT EXISTS TO DEFEND AND PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION. To allow this constitutionally infirm initiative, propelled by DECEPTIVELY GATHERED SIGNATURES, to alter basic principles in the Constitution is to allow a DESECRATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. To allow such alteration and desecration is to lose this COURT’S RAISON D’ETRE.


The manipulative iron fists of PGMA who tried to use or abuse more than six million people have been temporarily curtailed. Yet, soon after the decision was rendered, the puppets of PGMA in Congress have again voiced out their insistence to alter or revise the Constitution for their selfish ends through Constituent Assembly (ConAss).


The deception goes on. But Dodong Quijada, in his resiliency to all these political hullabaloos, will not be moved. He knows as he keeps on singing and tries his best here in our midst; some people will be around to subvert all the maladies that have been wrought to our nation. People like Dodong give us reason to fight for a better country.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

TO THE APOLITICAL INTELLECTUAL

For three weeks, I was not able to write in my column due to an enormous amount of load in my law office. Deadlines have reached up to my nose and even a little ripple would drown me.


The other reason why I temporarily quit writing is that I had this discussion with my only daughter Batin on the topics I write about. She wanted me to write about anything that would not be linked to politics. For a while, I considered her suggestion. It might be good sometimes to review some good books or write about children or anything about our environment.


However, I remembered the poem tacked on a board in the publication room of the Crusaders in Xavier University in the mid 70’s entitled “To The Apolitical Intellectual”. In those days, about thirty years ago, I have so decided not to become an apolitical intellectual. Such commitment has sunk deep and has subconsciously been with me until now.


The poem was written by a Guatemalan poet and a revolutionary named Otto Rene Castillo which goes:

TO THE APOLITICAL INTELLECTUAL

One day
The apolitical
Intellectuals
Of my country
Will be interrogated
By the simplest
Of our People.
They will be asked
What they did
When their nation died out
Slowly,
Like a sweet fire,
Small and alone.
No one will ask them
-About their dress
Their long siestas after lunch
No one will want to know
About their sterile combats
With "the idea
Of the nothing"
No one will care about
Their higher financial learning.
They won't be questioned
On Greek mythology
Or regarding their self-disgust,
When someone within them
Begins to die
The coward's death.
They'll be asked nothing
About their absurd
justifications
Born in the shadow
Of the total lie.
On that day
The simple men will come.
Those who had no place
In the books and poems
Of the apolitical intellectuals,
But daily delivered
Their bread and milk
Their tortillas and eggs,
Those who mended their clothes,
Those who drove their cars,
Who cared for their dogs
and gardens
And worked for them,
And they'll ask:
“What did you do when the poor
Suffered, when tenderness
And life
Burned out in them?"


In his lifetime, Otto Rene Castillo wrote two volumes of work entitled Poema Tecun Uman and Vamonos Patria a Caminar. A year before his death, he returned to Guatemala and joined the guerrilla struggle with the Rebel Armed Forces (RAF). He was captured by the government forces, interrogated, tortured and finally killed or immolated.


Now, will I write anything apolitical or should I take sides on what I believe is right? Should I condemn corruption and embrace the ideals of good governance? Should I fight to alleviate the plight of the poor instead of praising the wily business stratagems of the rich? Should I continue crucifying the corrupt leaders and seek glory for our country through the emerging genre of young leaders through my pen?


To my daughter Batin, I am so sorry. I can never be an apolitical intellectual. Your banters will always have political color.

Tuesday, October 3, 2006

OCON’S PERSONA NON GRATA

From wherever Zaldy Ocon took the idea of proposing a resolution to declare Mayor Dongkoy as a “persona non grata” deserves a second look. It is apparently a new concept as a person to be declared as “persona non grata” is not supposed to come from his own place but one who is unacceptable or unwelcome in another country or community, such as a diplomat.


In the case of our mayor, he is part of the community and may not be declared an “unwelcome or an unacceptable” person. For this reason the Laws and Rules Committee of the City Council headed by Cabanlas outrightly struck down the proposed resolution.


However, the logic of Ocon appears different, if not enigmatic. He believes the mayor has betrayed the trust and confidence of his people, ergo, he has become unacceptable or in Latin, “non grata”.


How may that have happened is not at all mind-boggling. In the last two local elections, Dongkoy was accepted and loved by the so-called “masa”. More than a hundred thousand voters brought him to the highest seat of power in the city. He enjoyed the accolades of being the most powerful politician in Cagayan de Oro and even the entire Misamis Oriental. Even the President wooed him. He, in turn, accepted her with open arms saying “ako’y iyong-iyo.” How sweet!


Now, in the eyes of Ocon, Mayor Dongkoy, whom Ocon sees to be indulging in insatiable corruption, has abused his power. Day in and day out, Ocon broadcasts how the city coffers have been drained due to hundreds of million of loans applied to overpriced infrastructures such as the Bulua Market and the roads and bridges in Taguanao and Macasandig. He condemned the mayor for the non-payment of GSIS dues already paid by the lowly city hall employees. He blames the mayor for the reprehensible payment of cross-subsidy by the city hall to UKC Builders for the operation of Cogon Market. He held Dongkoy accountable for violation of human rights against children whom he ordered to march and branded as criminals without due process of law.


In the management of city hall’s internal affairs, Ocon calls the mayor irresponsible as he defies the Constitutional Mandate on transparency and right to information when he ordered not to release any public documents to those interested in securing them. He derided Dongkoy as a “second rate, good for nothing copy-cat” of GMA for issuing a gag order to the Department Heads ordering them not to appear in the inquiry of the City Council.


Ocon has virtually outlined all the strings of Dongkoy’s irregularities, ad infinitum.


But what does Ocon want to achieve in this uphill battle in the council? He knows that the other Kagawads will always kowtow with the mayor in exchange for some favors.


To my mind, what Ocon cannot achieve in the city council, he wants to present in the altar of public opinion. He felt compelled to draw a line through broadcast media between lousy governance as against responsible leadership.


Ocon wishes to deepen the animosities between the wayward ways of Dongkoy and those who desire a more responsible, transparent and accountable local government. He wants us to take sides and calls on us to make a firm stand on matters of principles. Thus, it behooves us to examine carefully and make a fine distinction between getting fame through power as against being conferred with real honor. He is presenting to us the difference between misguided adulation of a person as against sincere respect.


This hard-hitting, lambasting and “no holds barred” announcer who quotes the bible after calling our local leaders with unchristian names has touched a raw nerve even as he naively or erroneously introduced the concept of “persona non grata.” Way to go Zaldy!

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

OF FATHERS AND DAUGHTERS & OF MOTHERS AND SONS

While talking about our children two nights ago, a bosom friend and a brother in the legal profession bragged about a letter sent to him by his kids contained in a torn bond paper. The letter, almost crumbling, goes:

Dear Tatay,


In a world of imperfect relationships between fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, the ties that bind slowly diminish into nothing but mere wisps of respect and tradition.


But under your watchful eyes, we, your daughters, have grown with strength and power within. Through your watchful guidance, we have been ushered into adulthood, armed with wisdom, intellect and grace. With your loving arms, we learned to hold on to each other for support, love each other, and protect each other from harm.


With this simple gift, we thank you. We know that whatever happens, we will always come out stronger and unscathed, because we have you.


One day, we will raise our children wonderfully and lovingly. . . like what you did for us.


I know. Because I have my tatay’s eyes. We love you.


Yr, Koki, Dingkay


Such a heartwarming letter reminds me of my own father who passed away 18 years ago. Wherever he is right now, I believe he still watches over me, wanting me to be strong, to be wise and to be graceful in whatever I do.


Yet, from wherever he is right now, I am sure he also has much regret and disappointment that our country’s leaders, whom we regard as our fathers or mothers, have not become what they needed to be.


Our nation has become a house divided where most of the children wish to be away from home and find their own destiny in either a very cold or very hot far away place.


I once felt so confused that in our family, a brother once left when we were young and made “layas”, perhaps feeling aggrieved and discontented of being in the house. Soon after, he returned and found our home warmer than the places he went to.


By the looks of it, the mother of this country will soon become a tyrant, not with a loving heart of a mother, but that of an iron-fisted woman who would readily crush those who wish to defy her mandates. She has reached an all time record of butchering more than 800 young activists since she sat down as President. She has began to round off her political nemesis like Peewee Trinidad and Jejomar Binay. She is now surrounded not by her loving, idealistic children but by corrupt, haggard-looking “trapos” wanting to share the bounty from the ill-gotten wealth she has amassed.


Our very own father in this community has also not done his part in arming his children with wisdom, intellect or grace. There is no visible sign that we will have better public schools for those in their tender years, new hospitals for the sick or venues of culture detached from the lures of the sluts of Wowowee. Our respect for him is continuously eroding.


Branding our father in this city as a thief and a cheat everyday over the radio by his very own sons has become so natural that almost everyone has started to believe in it. Instead of being an example to his children, he has become an island of his own, without the slightest concern over what may happen to all of us. By and large, his children have declared him a PERSONA NON GRATA.


One day, we will dispel from our memories a father of our city who never showed any gift of kindness. In contrast, we will always treasure the fatherhood of the late Justiniano R. Borja who never faltered in caring for all of us during his stint in office.


In the national scene, because we feel being treated like dogs, we might one day, instead of barking in the streets, bite our own bitch and relegate her to oblivion.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

MO-CHACHA KA BA O MO-TANGO?

After the impeachment complaints were hurriedly snuffed in the Lower House of Congress, the discussion on the proposed CHA-CHA has become more intense. The issue may be simply reduced to a question on whether or not we would like to have an authentic revision of our Constitution or we follow the administration’s version through Sigaw ng Bayan’s People’s Initiative or through a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) in Congress dominated by GMA’s compliant cabal. Simply stated and in the vernacular, MO-CHACHA KA BA UG TIUNAY? O MO-TANGO KA DUYOG NI GMA?


In our city, we hear the stand of the opposing forces becoming quite audible. While we have seen our very own mayor campaigning for signatures for the People’s Initiative (which I consider as a downright manifestation of boot-licking of GMA), we see some sectors, mostly from the businessmen, giving us alternatives. The group of Joe Nebrao, Engaged Citizens of Cagayan de Oro (ENGAGED), joined hands with One Voice in condemning the “railroading” of the passing of Resolution HR - 1230 in the Lower House.


Quite interesting is the speech of then Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Christian Monsod of One Voice when he came over to our city last week. He has laid bare the various scenarios if we support the People’s Initiative, spearheaded by Sigaw ng Bayan, or the version submitted by the Committee on Constitutional Amendments to the House headed by our very own Cong. Tinnex Jaraula.


While listening to Christian Monsod, who looked old but still in his fighting form, one could sense that he treated this issue with intense fragility as it may one day spell our country’s prosperity or debacle. He revealed that the situation is almost akin to the early 70’s which ended up in the dictatorship of Marcos for fourteen long dark years.


The desire of GMA for a charter change appears more for her self interest than for the people. Christian Monsod said, “Con-Ass is a quick preemptive strike for charter change with the same objective as People’s Initiative – a shift to parliamentary unicameral plus a powerful Interim Parliament. Once constituted, the Interim Parliament can do anything, including changing the transitory provisions itself. It will have plenary powers without having to deal with a Senate. The real issue of charter change then is about power and about a creeping authoritarianism.”


Ultimately, this issue may end up being thrown back to us, the common people, through a plebiscite. But then it might be too late. According to Monsod, when this contentious issue reaches the plebiscite stage, GMA could easily manipulate the results in cahoots with the local government, the military and the COMELEC as she did during the 2004 Presidential Elections.


The manipulation has already started. GMA herded more than 2000 third termer councilors over the weekend in Cebu City to taste a bit of brainwashing as she campaigned for “No to 2007 Elections (No-El)” and towards a parliamentary system.


The clamor for charter change in order to have a more responsive government for the needed economic and social reforms in our country is so imminent and no doubt, will inevitably come. However, if we take a longer road through a Constitutional Convention, we might have a more credible way of achieving what we aspire for – a transparent, accountable and responsive governance. But if we dance to the tune of GMA through Sigaw ng Bayan and the Contituent Assembly, we might end up with a charade called “TANGO CRIMINAL”and a government that undermines our freedom while the minions of GMA enrich themselves at our expense.

Thursday, September 7, 2006

THEY TOO HAVE SOULS

I have always been so amused by jokes about or against lawyers, portraying them to be merely made of flesh and probably may even be heartless. One tale goes this way:


A woman died. And in the pearly gates of heaven, she was welcomed by St. Peter, the gatekeeper. While she was glad to be accepted in heaven, she inquired if her husband was in heaven too. St. Peter told her to go through the list of those who had been already admitted. The old woman meticulously looked at the list but after a while, she was sad that her husband’s name was not there. So, St. Peter told her to go to the gates of hell, and there she went.


Upon meeting Satan, she asked the same question and was referred to the list of those who were already in hell. Upon scrutinizing the list one by one, she also did not find her husband’s name and she was glad concluding that her husband must be in Purgatory and will soon be with her in heaven. Dropping by Purgatory, she again talked to the one in charge and was shown the list. She was so surprised that again, her husband’s name was not there despite the fact that she was the one who buried him. She went back to St. Peter and told him her problem.


Even St. Peter was confused. But then he asked her, “what was your husband’s work before?” The woman replied, “oh, my husband was a lawyer.” With a glint in his eyes, St. Peter said, “ah, you did not tell me in advance, lawyers have no souls!”


Lawyers have no souls! That may be the reason why they can do almost anything evil. They are reputed to be liars and cheats. They allegedly circumvent the law if only to protect their client’s case, right or wrong.


Such view, however, is quite myopic. Branding lawyers to be evil doers seems misplaced, if not, downright wrong.


In the recent past, there were several lawyers close to me here in Cagayan de Oro who have gone back to their Creator. In fact, in my stint as President of the IBP starting from April 2001 to February 2003, twenty-one (21) lawyers died, among them, the venerable Judge Rolando R. Villaraza, Judge Benedicto U. Hallazgo, Judge Admiral P. Labis, Fiscal Francisco Rabanes and Atty. Eudoxio Along.


Most of them were my teachers whom I deeply respect in Xavier University College of Law. I believe they have dutifully followed their oath to uphold the rule of law and not to delay any man’s cause for money or malice. I know they were quite frugal while living and did not die in affluence.


Lately, several lawyers whom I also know by heart have also died, among them, Atty. Santos Tubelleja, Judge Roque Edmilao, Judge Puro Velez, Fiscal Felicisimo Khu, Judge Rolando S. Venadas, Sr., Atty. Jacob F. Montesa and Judge Anthony E. Santos. I learned the ropes of lawyering, so to speak, through these legal advocates and they have passed away almost unnoticed.


Quite interesting is the life of Judge Rolando Venadas, Sr. who became endeared to me when he was appointed as the Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 9 of Malaybalay City.


I was told he was among the topnotchers in the Bar Examination in 1964 and his stint as a practicing lawyer was so colorful until it faded. He also became a Professor in the College of Law of Xavier University, his very own Alma Mater. I saw in him a very caring and generous father not only to his own family but to all the young lawyers who appeared before his court.


In our legal system, most litigants who lose their cases either blame the lawyer or the judge. No matter how fair the judgment is, the judge, as well as the counsel, often catch their ire.


It cannot really be denied that there are lawyers who play tricks in court and judges who may be considered “hoodlums in robes”. More often than not, they are caught and are sanctioned, if not disbarred, by the disciplining arm of the Supreme Court.


By and large, lawyers, as well as judges, are human beings who advocate not for themselves but for others. They literally take the cudgels for a person whose rights have been violated. After a while, like in my case where I have been practicing for more than fifteen years now, I see my profession as one cutting deep into the heart of conflicts. In doing so, I also feel the pain and anxiety of those whom I represent.


Lawyers then see the basic humanity in clients. They see hatred running in the veins of litigants. They see forgiveness in the hearts of some. They see all types of characters in this drama of life. Most of all, lawyers assume the personality of those crying out for justice as they speak for them.


In doing so, lawyers become so human and find divinity along the way which makes me conclude that those who passed away, numbering forty-two since 2001, definitely have souls. Though some of them might be answering for the inequities they have committed, most of them are certainly celebrating the glory of being upright here on earth.


So, a few hundreds of the more than 6,000 law graduates taking the bar examinations starting last Sunday until September 24 will soon become lawyers. As they take the exams, they pray and make a promise to God, whoever they conceive Him to be, that they will do justice for all when they one day bury their minds and hearts into the realm of the legal profession.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

CAVERN OF CALIGULA

While watching the Impeachment proceedings during the deliberation of the Justice Committee of Congress last week in the Plenary Hall of the Batasan, I remembered the speech delivered by a visiting Toastmaster, Abby Llera from Cagayan de Oro Toastmasters Club which quoted beautiful phrases written by the late Teddy Benigno.


Abby Llera mentioned several phrases from the late Teddy Benigno. In one phrase, the eloquent writer described Congress as a CAVERN OF CALIGULA where congressmen have PERVERSIONS OF MAGGOTS.


Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, also known as Caligula, became a Roman Emperor between AD 37 to 41 and is remembered for his wanton hedonism, cruelty, tyranny and insanity. He would take pleasure in having his enemies tortured in the chamber by lengthening their suffering and pain.


True enough, listening to the arguments of the old, haggard-looking politicians who were noticeably all wearing coat and tie, among them, Majority Floor Leader, Congressman Prospero Nograles, pitted against the young and idealistic minority representatives wearing barongs, one could decipher how the Congressmen from the majority have become. They are no more than perversed maggots inside a hideous cavern.


As described in the column of Randy David last Sunday, what he saw in Congress was a “sorry spectacle of old men embarrassing themselves in front of their much younger colleagues by their assiduous sophistry and utter disregard of ideals”.


The old politicians were probably not just embarrassed but felt in themselves that they have assumed PERVERSIONS OF MAGGOTS who would feast in the flesh of the PORK given to them instead of fighting for the truth which they swore to do.


Deep inside however, I yearned for anyone from the majority to come out and speak for what is true and just. No one ever came out principled enough to defy GMA who may be likened to a female Caligula.


Like Caligula who tried to appoint his stallion, Incitatus, in the Senate or as a Consul, so many of our appointees in the Cabinet now are not even qualified to hold their respective offices. Just like Caligula, she lengthened the list of those executed by her BERDUGOS, including those six (6) persons who signed the Impeachment Complaint enumerated by the dashing Chiz Escudero during the committee hearing.


Beautiful phrases sometimes depict the truth of our present situation which have been likened to the olden times.


There is one phrase that I always keep with me which made the entire US Congress stand in ovation during the speech of Corazon Aquino after swearing in as President of our Republic. Cory described the cronies, puppets and minions of Marcos as a COMPLIANT CABAL OF CALLOUSED COLLABORATORS. Such phrase still appears appropriate today.


Our present Congress became a compliant cabal when they collaborated with the administration not through reasons and principles but through their numbers when they killed the Impeachment. The military became calloused collaborators in compliance with the mandate of PGMA to snuff the lives and break the spirits of our young men fighting for their ideals. The same goes with our local government officials who kowtow with the President.


Our country has pitifully gone to the barbarians as we have become mere spectators in this CAVERN OF CALIGULA.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

CARRYING CAPACITY

Today, I signed an online petition against Petron Corporation which simply states the following:


“Last August 11, 2006, Solar I, a tanker chartered by Petron to transport 2 million liters of oil sank somewhere in Guimaras Straight.


The resulting oil spill affected 200 kilometers of shoreline, damaging more than 1000 hectares of mangroves in the area, and damaging seaweed plantations, coral reefs, marine reserves and rich fishing grounds. The area is known to be home to the dugong and at least 2 of the 5 turtles found in the Philippines. This incident endangered the life and livelihood of over 10,000 people in the island.


Petron is legally and morally liable for the oil spill in Guimaras. Let us unite and demand that Petron answer this tragedy and be held accountable for the loss of natural resources and livelihood of the people of the island.


Boycott Petron products until they have fulfilled their moral and legal obligations to all those affected by this tragedy. Let us also lobby for stringent laws to regulate the transport of oil and all hazardous substance in our oceans.


Sign your name and be counted.”


An hour after I signed, 100 more signed the online petition and I believe, the number will bloat out up to more than ten thousand at the end of the week.


It is really disgusting to see on TV that the spill of about 2 million liters and now creating a slick of about 50 kilometers in length and 16 sq. km. in area is being treated lightly by our government.


Last Sunday, the estimated 15 percent of oil that was spilled out from the tanker had already affected Guimaras Island’s ecosystem – 66 km of sea, 220 km of coastline, 1,143 hectares of national marine reserves and 454 hectares of mangroves. It appears that our government has no carrying capacity to address such a national disaster. All PGMA could do is order DOJ to conduct an investigation without having a concrete plan on how to address such magnitude of environmental destruction.


It is so pathetic that the persons helping in the clean up are merely using rugs or shovels to clean up the damaged shorelines affected by the spills.


In other countries, the culprits are outrightly made accountable while at the same time, resources are mobilized in order to contain the damage unlike what is happening now where people are hired at less than the daily wage using their bare hands.


Big oil spills such as ours, mechanical clean-ups such as using various types of booms and skimmers should be resorted to.


In the shorelines, vacuum trucks and other equipment may be used to retrieve the spilled oil. In beaches and resorts, high pressured hoses may be used to disperse the oil until the floating oil are gathered and trapped by several absorbent booms and then removed.


The oils that have sank deep in the sea may be tilled by backhoes and other equipment to expose the oils. The remaining oil may be treated through the so-called geo-remediation effort where beaches are fertilized to promote growth of bacteria that eat hydrocarbons.


To date, the more effective solutions, while I believe are already known to our government, are yet to find its way.


Moreover, Petron, which is substantially owned by the government, has only promised to help but has not moved it fingers. It has not shelled out any amount if only to minimize the destruction.


Exxon for instance, when its tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground and spilled about 11 million barrels of crude oil, spent about $2.1 billion and placed about 10,000 workers, 1,000 boats and 100 aircrafts which became the “army, navy and air force” of Exxon that carried out the clean up.


Surely, our government and Petron have yet to appease us on the pathetic way they have treated this malady. The responses they have made make one feel helpless in the protection of the delicate balance of nature in our country.


Should you feel like actively participating in the protest against petron, please visit, http://www.petitiononline.com/guimaras/petition.html.