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Month: April 2007

Good news, sad news from Mindanao

Just when I was to start writing a feel-good story about Mindanao (the Canadian Embassy’s additional pledge of P40 million for the Mindanao Trust Fund), Leah Navarro’s email about the killing of Solema Jubilan, came in.

Jubilan was a human rights lawyer and congressional candidate for the second district of Cotabato. Inquirer.net’s breaking news said Jubilan was “accidentally shot by a policeman who was also her relative” at about 7:45 p.m. Saturday. She was brought to Kidapawan City hospital where she died.

The policeman, identified in the report only as “Moreno” is now in the custody of Kidapawan police.

Kailan ang pinal na desisyon kay Cayetano?

Noong isang linggo ibinasura ng Commission on Elections ang disqualification petition ni Pateros Mayor Jose Capco laban kay Alan Cayetano na tumatakbng senador sa ilalim ng partido ng Genuine Opposition.

cayetano.jpgSinabi kasi ni Capco na hindi raw Pilipino si Alan na siyam na taon ng nanunungkulan bilang kongresista ng Taguig-Pateros.

Siyempre sinabi ng Comelec na walang batayan ang reklamo ni Capco. Hindi naman nakakagulat ang ganung deisyon ng Comelec. Ang nakakapagtaka nga ay kung bakit ang tagal-tagal bago sila nagdesisyon.

Soldiers, stay out

Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., issued the following statement on the intensified presence of military in urban despressed areas and in the project of Gen. Dolorfino for the military to conduct an election information drive in the urban barnagays:

Soldiers: Stay Out of Barangays. Let Civilian Authorities Do the Job

Soldiers in full battle gear are now visibly patrolling barangays in many parts of the land.

Pera-pera lang

Palagi pinagyayabang ng mga political operators ni Gloria Arroyo ang kanilang makinarya na siyang magpapanalo raw ng kanilang mga senatorial candidates kahit karamihan sa kanila ay sinusuka ng taumbayan.

Noong isang araw, nag-usap kami ni Sen. Edgardo Angara sa ABS-CBN at pinakita niya ang listahan ng mga probinsiya kung saan walang kandidato ang oposisyon. Marami yun dahil kulang nga sa pera ang oposisyon.

Sabi ni Angara, sigurado sa mga lugar na yun, sweep sila, 12-0 dahil yun ang sasabihin ng mga lokal na opisyal sa mga tao. Yun ang tinatawag na “command” votes.

The deal

Now everybody is saying that Crispin Beltran of the Anak Pawis party list and Antonio Trillanes IV of the Genuine Opposition should be released because former Senator Gregorio Honasan, independent candidate for senator, has been released.

All three have been accused of attempting to oust Gloria Arroyo from her fake presidency.

Even Joker Arroyo, Team Unity candidate is saying it. Only two months ago, he said he decided to join Gloria Arroyo’s ticket because the opposition had a coup plotter, referring to Trillanes, in its ticket.

Bail kay Honasan, dapat ganun din kay Trillanes

Dahil sa pinayagan ng Makati Regional Trial Court si dating Sen. Gregorio Honasan na magpyansa, hinihingi ngayon ng Genuine Opposition na payagan rin si Ltsg Antonio Trillanes IV na magpyansa.

Oo nga naman. Dapat equal.

Sabi nga ni GO spokesman Adel Tamano na walang peligro na tatakas si Trillanes dahil kailangan siya makita ng mga tao. Mangangampanya siya.

Ninoy Aquino,Jason Aquino

Frank Chavez opened the petition he filed before the Supreme Court last Friday, on behalf of his client, Army Major Jason Laureano Aquino,with a quote from Benigno Aquino Jr.,made before Military Commission No. 2 on August 2, 1973.

Ninoy Aquino’s words: “There is something that transcends all other considerations, something that is unique in the case against me. Two years ago, on August 24, 1971 – three days after the horrible massacre in Plaza Miranda – I was accused and pronounced guilty of the same charges by the President himself, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces…With due respect to all of you, how can this Military Commission reverse the President? Even if you want to because of your sense of justice, nonetheless, under Presidential Decree No. 39, the President has the power to change or reverse your decision.

Her name was Grecil

by Patricia Evangelista

(Patricia Evangelista, who writes for the Inquirer, is admirable not only for her intelligence but for her deep concern for justice. She is one young lady worth watching. The following piece is heart breaking. I am outraged.)

She was 9 years old. She had big brown eyes and shiny black hair. She liked spider-fighting and watching “Wowowee,” and woke up at six every morning for the hour-long walk down the mountain to her second-grade class. Her teacher said she should study harder, and she did, because she was a little girl who wanted to be a nurse someday. She had a medal for “Most Neat” at the end of the school year. In the summer, she played with the other children, racing rubber bands while hopping in green-slippered feet.