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SC orders freeze in National Artists awards

Update: NCCA head: National Artist a done deal

by Evangeline de Vera
Malaya

The Supreme Court yesterday enjoined Malacañang from bestowing the 2009 Order of National Artists on four personalities, including director and producer Carlo J. Caparas.

“The Court saw the urgency to issue the status quo order and stop the conferment of the awards. It has the same affect as a temporary restraining order,” said spokesman Jose Midas Marquez.

Marquez said the status quo order will remain until the Court has resolved the petition of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines which sought to disqualify four new national artists for not passing the screening and selection process.

The respondents were directed by the Court to submit their comments within 10 days.

The respondents were Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, the Department of Budget and Management, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CPP), National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCAA), Caparas, Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, fashion designer Jose “Pitoy” Moreno and Francisco Mañosa.

After the submission of the comments, Marquez said the Court would decide whether there is a need for oral arguments.

Petitioners, through lawyer Theodore Te, said President Arroyo gravely abused her discretion in disregarding the results of the rigorous selection process when she inserted the names of Caparas, Guidote-Alvarez, Moreno and Mañosa in the shortlist submitted by the NCAA and the CCP boards for proclamation as 2009 Order of National Artists.

“For the President to cavalierly disregard the collective judgment of the CCP and NCCA Boards and substitute her own judgment without a clear indication of the reasons and bases therefore is an unacceptable and manifestly grave abuse of discretion,” they said.

Among the petitioners are national artists Virgilio Almario (literature), Bienvenido Lumbera (literature), Benedicto Cabrera for visual arts (painting), Napoleon Abueva for visual arts (sculpture), and Arturo Luz for visual arts (painting and sculpture).

They said the President violated the equal protection guarantee under the Constitution in including Alvarez’ name in the shortlist, although she was never nominated and subjected to screening process by the National Artist Award Experts Panel.

They branded Alvarez’ inclusion in the shortlist as “illegal and unethical” since she is disqualified from being nominated, being the executive director of the NCAA and also the President’s adviser on Culture of Arts.

They pointed out that while the appointment to the Order of National Artists is discretionary on the part of the President, such discretion is not absolute or unlimited.

The CCP and NCCA boards had recommended as 2009 national artists Manuel Conde (posthumous) for film and broadcast arts, Dr. Ramon Santos for music, Lazaro Francisco (posthumous) for literature, and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz for visual arts.

But on July 29, Ermita announced that the Order of the National Artists would be conferred on seven persons, three from the final list submitted by CCP and NCCA, with Santos dropped from the final list, and Caparas, Moreno, Mañosa and Alvarez were added to the list.

The petitioners said there was no explanation given for the dropping of Santos from the final list despite having passed the rigorous screening and selection process under the guidelines.

They noted Caparas, Moreno and Mañosa did not make it to the final stage of the screening process, thus, they were not included in the list submitted to Malacañang.

They said Malacañang also did not give any justification for the inclusion of Caparas, Moreno, Mañosa and Alvarez in the shortlist.

Published inArts and Culture

36 Comments

  1. They said the President violated the equal protection guarantee under the Constitution in including Alvarez’ name in the shortlist, although she was never nominated and subjected to screening process by the National Artist Award Experts Panel.

    Extraordinary!

    Gloria is a total scumbag, isn’t she? Poking her dirty lil finger in almost anything and everything to bribe her way through… Amazing filthy individual she truly is!

  2. Sa tingin ko si Caparas ay masyado pang hilaw para maging national artist….

  3. Isaac H Isaac H

    Ellen this is another topic, please allow me to post. According to the Filipino United Kingdom group, Gloria Arroyo has accepted an invitation to speak at a forum in London organized by the London based newsmagazine “The Economist” in mid-September. it was confirmed today. Thank you.

  4. chi chi

    Pati ba naman na ang dapat na simpleng pagsunod sa panuntunan ng National Artists Awards ay kailangan pang problemahin ng Supreme Court?

    Walang patawad ang katakawan ni Gloria Aroyo, pati mga tunay na artist ay ninanakawan ng karangalan para ibigay sa mga walang K!

  5. Wala din talagang delicadeza iyong asawa ni Heherson Alvarez. Mukhang wala sila niyan noon pa. Di pa nakakaintindi ng tinatawag na conflic of interest dahil executive siya mismo ng institution na nagbibigay ng award. Kung baga, nilamon niya ang sarili niyang laman!

    Dapat sa mga iyan, sinisibak!

  6. bayong bayong

    Kaya nagkaroon ng petisyon dahil may pera ang petitioner paano na lang ang mga walang kakayahan na magparating ng hinaing sa korte, marami sa ating mga kababayan ang walang kakayahan paratingin ang usapan sa korte. ang Constitution ay hindi naman nasusunod nasaan ang equal protection of the law na isinasasaad.

  7. Sus, bakit pati couturier kasama sa mga award na ito? Para ba makalibre ng damit iyong lousy dresser kay Pitoy? Asuuuuuus!

    Ginaya si Hanae Mori, who was awarded the Order of Culture by the Emperor of Japan in 1996 and the French Legion of Honor by President François Mitterrand of France in 1989, for being an inspiration to fellow designers such as Vivienne Tam, Vera Wang, Catherina Walker and numerous Asian designers such as Cho Cheng, Toshio Goma and Jotaro Saito.

    E iyong nominee ni Punggok, may ganoon bang accomplishment? I wonder.

  8. At saka bakit ba pati ang pag-a-award na ito, pinapakialaman noong Bobang nagdudunung-dunungan. Golly, ano ba ang gusto niya? Maging Jack of all trades siya? Abaw, she should remember the old adage, “Jack of all trades, master of none.”

    In short, bobita talaga!

  9. crimsonESTRELLA crimsonESTRELLA

    Good that this account of mine, in the previous blog format, is still active. But a number of my friends, Kandong and Nathan among them, find it difficult now to post their comments. Kindly instruct on how to register, Maám Ellen. 😀

  10. “E iyong nominee ni Punggok, may ganoon bang accomplishment? I wonder.”

    Hahahaha!

  11. florry florry

    Maybe these justices are feed up with all the abuses of “Queen Fake” so they decided to take back and wear their backbones, show and assert their independence from her. It’s about time and hopefully for good.

  12. Crimson, all they need to do is re-register with WordPress or just login using their old username and password by clicking on “Site Admin” 4th to the last link on the rightmost column.

  13. MPRivera MPRivera

    If asked who are most deserving the National Artists Award, for me, they are Cerge Remonde, Lorelei Fajardo, Anthony Golez, Eduardo Ermita, Titing Bunye, Sergio Apolpol, Virgilio Garcillano, Lintang Bedol, Rene Sarmiento, Berjer Abalos, Halmoranas Esperon, and many others licking the Panduck’s ass. Isama na rin natin si Tita Joanna Martir.

    Teka, it should be the Nunal Artists Award nga pala. For excellently LYING to the people.

  14. @MPRIVERA

    Isama mo na si FVR sa mga minemention mo isa rin siyang linta at ganid.

  15. norpil norpil

    marami pang well qualified kung art of lying and stealing ang pag-uusapan.

  16. chi chi

    In Gloria’s name, dapat lang na ang National Artists Award ay palitan ng Nunal Artists Award, hindi magrereklamo si Juan kapag ganyan ang title.

  17. patria adorada patria adorada

    Pakapalan Artists Award na lang kaya?

  18. vic vic

    Even the Queen’s granting of knighthoods and peerage and awards and honour to any individual has to go to the screening and vetting process, even if Her Majesty’s “discretionary” power is beyond question, she has yet to Abuse It…and GMA does abuse her every opportunity and she is not a Queen, only in her dreams and she can dream forever…

  19. mbw mbw

    Caparas should never be hailed as a National Artist. Talagang legality na lang ba ang huling alas? Wala na bang argumento na talagang binababoy ang essence or meaning of “National Artist” at hindi “commercial artist?” Walang kaalam-alam si Gloria o ermita tungkol dito. Sori, at kilala ko ang mga kaangkan ni Ermita. May resort siya sa Diplolog, di ba? Militar siya, di ba?

  20. Mon Mon

    Vic – “only in her dreams and she can dream forever…”

    Sadly, her dreaming on translates to our collective nightmare… 🙁

    * * *

    Grizzy – “Kung baga, nilamon niya ang sarili niyang laman!”

    Just like a rabid dog. Oh well, she has a master that is “one lucky bitch…” 🙂

    Come to think of it, why do we still find it surprising for GMA doing all sorts of illegal and immoral things? We all know she started her reign that way! 🙁

    If and when GMA does something legal, moral and decent, then that’s a newsbreaking thing, right?

  21. chi chi

    If and when GMA does something legal, moral and decent, then that’s a newsbreaking thing, right? – Mon

    Ano pa nga ba? Ha!ha!ha!

  22. Mon, chi, newsbreaking as in the announcement of the creation of the Anti-Hunger Commission right after the Le Cirque scandal?

  23. mbw mbw

    Anti-Hunger Commission? hahahahaha!!! where is it? what will it do? Give us cake while Queenie Glorieta goes off to London and eat lobster thermidor?

  24. Mon Mon

    mbw – “Anti-Hunger Commission? hahahahaha!!! where is it? what will it do?”

    GMA paid huge sum – sourced from Obama after she officially sold our natural resources in Mindanao to Uncle Sam – for the researchers who developed this well-tested and scientifically proven approach: It teaches people to transcend their temporal needs, and if they cannot do it by themselves, the Anti-Hunger Commission send their agents to assist, for free.

    In short, AHC is a liquidation squad 🙁 Dead? No hunger pangs 🙂

  25. chi chi

    Ha!ha!ha! Ayos na ayos yan a, Mon.

  26. mbw mbw

    mon, this really sounds esoteric “transcend hunger their temporal needs” and as you aptly said mukhang mga execution squad…below 40 kilos ka ba?—ratatat. Ikaw, totoy, ilang beses isang araw ka ba kumakain? ni merienda?—bang!

    talagang puro farce na yata ito—hindi na talaga nakakatawa.

    taga probinsiya ako at maski na maraming lupa dito ay hindi mataniman ng mga katutubo, private lands kasi. kunga magtanim din naman sila ay ignorante rin at puro kaingin. Sabida, research groups to assist? pumunta nuon dito si arroyo, in the dead of the night. ayaw makakita ng mga tao at baka nga siya dagsaan ng reklamo o bulok na kamatis. mukhang tinitingnan niya ang lugar for investors like hers truly.

  27. balweg balweg

    Caparas should never be hailed as a National Artist. Talagang legality na lang ba ang huling alas?

    Kgg. MBW, may punto ka…napanood ko today sa reply ng interview ni Cheche kay Caparas about this matter…alam mo e naghudas pa la yan kay FPJ, akala ng Masang Pinoy e dito siya nakasuporta last 2004 election but heto kumanta si Bading Morato na kay GMA siya sumuporta.

    Ibig sabihin, lutong macao ang pagkakasali niya sa National Artist…talagang sukdulan ang kanyang kamunduhan? Wala nang itinirang matinong institusyon sa ating bansa…WALA kahit isa?

    Nakakasakit ng kalooban at nakakangitngit talaga…TINABLA lahat kaya heto wala na tayong matakbuhang matino, kundi kurap e sinungaling.

  28. chi chi

    Igan Balweg, lahat na may kinalaman kay Gloria ay lutong makaw.

  29. jose miguel jose miguel

    Tayo ay dapat din ilagay atin sarili sa kalagayan ni GMA. Kasi hindi kaya na ang kanyang concepto nang pagiging artist ay iyong malapit sa kanyang puso– na iyong paging con artist?

  30. balweg balweg

    Igan Balweg, lahat na may kinalaman kay Gloria ay lutong makaw?

    Korek Igan Chi, kaya heto pati yong mga nananahimik na National Artist e idinamay pa sa kanyang ka ek-eken…akala ni GMA e magsasawalang-kibo ang mga respetado nating sektor.

    Alam mo, nang mapanood ko kagabi about Caparas interview…ngayon ko lang napagtanto na tuta pala ito ni Gloria.

    Sayang hanga pa naman ako kay CJC…bakit ka mo, kasi ganito yon…during may high school days e adik ako sa mga nobela niya sa Komiks ah.

    Imagine, tuluyan yong istoryo so normal na subaybayan natin yon till sa katapusan…aba e malaki din ang naging puhunan ko sa pagbili o arkila ng Komiks sa tabi ng school.

    Ngayon…biglang kambio ang aking paghanga sa kanya sapagka’t kalaban pala siya ng Masang Pilipino sapagka’t yaong kanyang sinuportahan e kurap/sinungaling/magnanakaw ang “REYNA ng mga UTANGERA”?

  31. chi chi

    Hahaha! Wala akong hilig sa komiks pero kahit na hindi ko nabasa ang komiks ‘creativity’ ni Caparas ay sigurado ako na ang daming karapat-dapat na bigyan ng parangal na National Artist kesa sa kanya.

    Igan Balweg, nabalita ko noon na ang mag-asawang Caparas ay nagpapakamatay para kay Panduck, magkano kaya?!

    Tungkol naman kay Cecille Guidote, nakita ko ang nakakasukang ugali nitong si Cecille noong ipinagduduldulan niya kay kay Mrs. Susan Poe ang bribe na National Artist Award para kay Da King. Walang delicadeza e. Utos man ng among si Gloria ay gamitin naman niya ang sariling diskarte. Idiota! Huh, napahiya tuloy sila, they understimated Mrs. Poe.

    Pero kahit na ganyan, kung talagang meron silang achievement na hindi mapapantayan ng sinuman sa kanilang larangan ay ayos pa rin sa akin. Kaso e kulang o hindi sila qualified. Sabi nga ni Juan Miguel ay mga “con-artist” lang sila ni Panduck.

  32. masha masha

    buti naman.

    caparas is a low grade artist. doesnt deserve this high award. he probably asked for it to prop his senatorial bid. do these people even know what senators do? sabagay, si pia cayetano is a lawyer, and she just does sports most of the time.

    guidote-alvarez has no delicadeza at all. nakakahiya. anong mapapala mo kung may award ka nga pero wala namang respeto sa iyo. para lang malagay sa lapida?

    and pitoy moreno? what the? presidential merit na lang. pagpilitan ba. lapida na naman?

    and manosa. really? may ccp na ba siya?

  33. masha masha

    imagine after ng presidency ni gloria all the freebies she’s going to get from pitoy if he’s awarded.

    ano ba ang batas dito.

    nakampante ako na ang abugado ng mga kumakalaban kay gma dito ay si marvic at teddy teh-2 of the country’s best lawyers.

  34. If and when GMA does something legal, moral and decent, then that’s a newsbreaking thing, right?

    Tama ka, Mon, di na dapat pang ibinibalita ang mga kabalbalan ni Gloria Macapalgal. Ang dapat na breaking news ay kung bababa siya at magpapakulong sa mga ginawa niyang krimen. Ang saya siguro ng sambayanang pilipino!

  35. mbw mbw

    Gloria won’t buckle from her decision to reward the spoils of war to her tutas…that is predictable. Pahiya kasi siya sa kimare at kumpare niya. mas personal. kung sa taong bayan at artists, we’re just a bunch of noisy statistics.

  36. MPRivera MPRivera

    Dapat pala ay magkaroon din ng National Con Artists Awards para sa mga katulad nitong pinarangalan ni Panduck na bukod sa hindi kasama sa orihinal na listahan ay hindi pa dumaan sa iskrining.

    I’m backing off from my recommendation for Nunal Artist Award title for those people I mentioned above. National Con Artists Award na lang. Hindi pa nakakalito at mas madaling maintindihan kahit ng nagtitinda ng taho.

    Kunsabagay, pakapalan lang naman ng mukha ‘yan, eh. Balikan ang katwiran ng may akda ng Panday na ngayon ay naglalambitin sa saya ni Panduck.

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