Now that the Commission on Elections has dismissed the petition of Malacañang’s Singaw ng Bayan to verify the signatures they had resourcefully gathered to change the Constitution through People’s Initiative, the next battleground is the Supreme Court.
Nobody was actually surprised at the Comelec decision. The Counsels for the Defense of Liberties, one of those who opposed Singaw’s petition, said last week: “According to the game plan of pro-Chacha advocates, Sigaw will file a petition with the Comelec which will immediately dismiss it due to the permanent injunction, so that Sigaw can immediately go up to the Supreme Court. They then expect the Supreme Court to immediately abandon Santiago vs. Comelec and hastily allow the setting of a plebiscite without any opportunity for opposition.”
I saw last Tuesday on “Strictly Politics” election lawyer Leila de Lima say the same thing.
In fact, Cha-cha oppositors are alarmed by the part of the Comelec decision which said that they were enjoined by the SC decision from entertaining Singaw’s petition, “even if …it appears” that the signatures gathered satisfy the requirements for a People’s Initiative.
The exact words are:
“Thus, even if the signatures in the instant Petition appear to meet the required minimum per centum of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district is represented by at least three per centum of the registered voters therein, still the Petition cannot be given due course since the Supreme Court categorically declared RA 6735 as inadequate to cover the system of initiative on amendments to the Constitution.
“This Commission is not unmindful of the transcendental importance of the right of the people under a system of initiative. However, neither can we turn a blind eye to the pronouncement of the High Court that in the absence of a valid enabling law, this right of the people remains nothing but an “empty right” , and that this Commission is permanently enjoined from entertaining, or taking cognizance of any petition for initiative on amendments to the Constitution.”
Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos was irritated by the questioning of ANC’s Pia Hontiveros and Tony Velasquez on that “even if… it appears” phrase. In his convoluted explanation, it appears that Comelec is giving Cha-cha proponents the needed tool to convince the Supreme Court to reverse its 1997 decision.
Asked if by saying “even if… it appears” the Comelec took cognizance of the signatures submitted by Singaw, Abalos annoying replied, “If I say, ‘Even if you are ugly, I love you’, does it mean you are ugly?”
It looks like this is indeed going to be ugly.
Cha-cha proponents have reason to be optimistic that the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban would reverse the 1997 Supreme Court decision penned by Justice Hilario Davide which granted the petition of Miriam Defensor Santiago, Alexander Padilla, and Maria Isabel Ongpin against Comelec and Pirma (People’s Initiative for Reforms, Modernization and Action).
The High Court said: “The Comelec should be permanently enjoined from entertaining or taking cognizance of any petition for initiative on amendments to the constitution until a sufficient law shall have been validly enacted to provide for the implementation of the system.”
In that decision, Panganiban had a separate and concurring opinion. He said he agreed with Davide that the Comelec acted without jurisdiction or with grave abuse of discretion in entertaining the “initiatory” petition of Jesus Delfin, one of Pirma’s founders.
“Until and unless an initiatory petition can show the required number of signatures – in this case, 12 percent of all the registered voters in the Philippines with at least 3 percent in every legislative district – no public funds, may be spent and no government resources may be used in an initiative to amend the Constitution. Verily, the Comelec cannot even entertain any petition absent such signature,” Panganiban said.
Panganiban, however, disagreed with Davide in his opinion that there is no law implementing People’s Initiative. Davide had said RA 6735, an act providing for a system of initiative and referendum and appropriating funds therefore, is “incomplete, inadequate, or wanting in essential terms and conditions insofar as initiative on amendments to the Constitution is concerned.”
Panganiban said: “While RA 6735 may not be a perfect law, it was – as the majority openly concedes – intended by the legislature to cover and, I respectfully submit, it contains enough provisions to effectuate an initiative on the Constitution.”
Panganiban also dissented with the majority’s opinion that Comelec Resolution No. 2300, “insofar as it prescribes rules and regulations on the conduct of initiative on amendments to the Constitution, is void.”
Panganiban said: “I respectfully submit that taken together and interpreted properly and liberally, the Constitution (particularly Art. XVII, Sec. 2), RA 6735 and Comelec Resolution 2300 provide more than sufficient authority to implement, effectuate and realize our people’s power to amend the Constitution.”
“With all due respect, I find the majority’s position all too sweeping and all too extremist. It is equivalent to burning the whole house to exterminate the rats, and to killing the patient to relive him of pain. What Citizen Delfin wants the Comelec to do we should reject. But we should not thereby preempt any future effort to exercise the right of initiative correctly and judiciously. The fact that the Delfin Petition proposes a misuse of initiative does not justify a ban against its proper use. Indeed, there is a right way to do the right thing at the right time and for the right reason,” Panganiban said.
Since Abalos’ Comelec said the signatures submitted by Singaw even if it contained signatures of the dead and those in prison, “appears…to satisfy the requirements” of the law, would Panganiban’s Supreme Court declare it the “right way to do the right thing at the right time and for the right reason”?
Sakali man pinaboran ng Comelec ang petition ng Sigaw ng Bayad, maraming tanong pa ang lalabas. Paano ililipat ang presidential form sa parliamentary? Anong klaseng parliamentary? At sino ang gagawa? Ang salitang People’s Initiative ay ibig sabihin nanggaling sa mga tao pero alam natin lahat na ang gobyerno ang nag-umpisa nito. Kahit na pribado ang Sigaw ng Bayad ni Lambino, ito’y konektado sa Malacanang. Ang mga forms ay naiprinta gamit ang Printing Company ng gobyerno. Pinag-pirma nila ang mga tao pero hindi naman galing sa mga tao ang petition. Paanong naging People’s Initiative ito? Mas bagay kung itawag diyan Malacanang’s Initiative. Hindi din malinaw sa mga tao kung ano ang pinirmahan nila. Itanong natin sa kanila at sasabihin nilang hindi nila alam basta papalitan lang daw ang uri ng gobyerno. Tama ba ito?
Lahat ng ginagawa ng pangkat ni gloria para “mapanatili” siya sa “silya ng kapangyarihan” ay ika nga ng mga Kano…”calculated moves”. Bakit nga ba “sasayangin” ng mga “Lambino mafiosi-group” ang kanilang panahon at oras sa Comelec, kung saan kahit gigil na gigil si abalos na “OO-han agad” ang petisyon, kailangan pa rin ang “proseso”…na kokonsumo ng mahaba-habang panahon, let’s say a month, at pagkatapos ay “hahamunin” pa rin ng mga kontra dito sa Korte Suprema…eh di mas maganda na nga naman na “i-direkta” na sa Korte Suprema…ika nga ay “menos oras”…walang kwenta sa kanila ang “gastos” dahil MARAMI SILA nito, sayang na lang ang “KABAN NG BAYAN”…pero “time is the luxury that they don’t have”. Masaklap nga lamang isipin na ang mga kababayan natin, na tulad natin ay “nag-iisip” at “nauunawaan” ang mga “PANLILINLANG” na ito ng gloria “group of companies” ay maliit na bilang lamang kontra sa mga Pilipinong “hindi nag-iisip, hindi umiintindi, walang pakialam, o sadyang nabibili”. Kaya huwag na tayong “magugulat” kung pagkatapos ng lahat ng “maniobra” na ito ay “magtagumpay” ang mga WALANGHIYA sa kanilang “adhikain”..iyon ang ipagpilitang isubo sa ATING LAHAT ang NAKAKASUKA NILANG MGA SARILI.
This is Malaya’s editorial today, Sept.1:
Kaya nga sa ngayon, ang tangi ko na lamang naiisip ay tulad nating lahat….ang mga “WALANGHIYA AT GANID” na mga iyan ay mamamatay din. Unless, dayain din ni gloria at ni fatso si Kamatayan.
Alam naman hindi uubra eh pinilit pa ng grupo ni Lambino. Ano ang dahilan? Paano na ang mga pera at pondo na ginastos dito? O baka isa na naman itong racket para magamit ang pondo ng gobyerno? Sino ang nagpondo? Kung galing sa pribado, sino? Bakit ang National Printing Press and nagprenta ng mga forms? Dapat sagutin iyan ni Lambino.
Isa pang nakapagtataka…parang bale wala sa Malacanang ang pagbasura ng Comelec. Walang ingay. Dahil ba alam na nila ang resulta? At bago ang decision ng Comelec may susunod nang plano ang Malacanang?
Hintayin natin ang kasunod na kabanata. Bantayan natin at mag-ingat tayo…
The point, Ellen, is why are Filipinos allowing this bogus president to make these appointments? And why did the nation builders after 1986 not make sure that this kind of impunities would never be repeated to a much worse degree than the kind of impunities committed by Marcos during his dictatorship?
Never in the history of the Philippines, not even during the time of Marcos, that even the Judiciary would be under the control ironically of a suspected criminal. At least, the Supreme Court for example served its purpose as their last salvation, a measure of last resort even when they have copied the US system of appointment of judges of the Supreme Court with the judges there nominated by the President but none approved without proper scrutiny, and done simply to insure permanent stay in position like what the crooks are presently doing with impunity.
It is simply nauseating especially when everybody knows how this person, who is not just nominating but appointing these buddy judges, has gain access to the palace by the murky river even by lying and cheating.
Now, it is just a matter of time when this crook would even turn the country upside down with her claim of royalty even by tampering with important historical records that fortunately copies are kept elsewhere where she cannot touch them to prove that she is in fact a fake. It is actually just a matter of guts and determination to do what is right even under an imperfect Constitution that has in fact allowed this kind of impunity to happen.
Imperfect though the 1987 Constitution, the point is the suspected criminal, who tampered with the election of 2004, and committed sedition in 2001, has no right to change it especially with a bogus people’s initiative that includes the names of the dead who must be fidgetting in their graves!!!
The Filipino people should not allow these crooks to get their way by all means. Otherwise, this calls for another Cry of Balintawak! As they say in Tagalog, “Maghalo na ang balat sa tinalupan!” especially with all the attempts to silence the people with guns and silly libel suits!!! Excuse the language but this is not just “katarantaduhan” but a genuine “kahayupan” and abuse of power by one who has not even legal right to have such.
Best thing really is to abolish agencies like the Comelec for being useless in protecting the sacred rights and privileges of the people who are in fact being stripped off of those sacred rights and privileges. One does not even have to be a lawyer to know this. One only has a common sense to know that what the suspected criminal is doing is not right, but evil and illegal made legal only because the Judiciary, police and military are now dominated by her appointees, and the Philippine Congress by her paid lackeys!
Kawawang bansa!
This should read: One only has TO HAVE A COMMON SENSE to know that what the suspected criminal is doing is not right, but evil and illegal made legal only because the Judiciary, police and military are now dominated by her appointees, and the Philippine Congress by her paid lackeys!
Looks like everything is well planned. What else do we expect from the prostituted supreme court? People no longer trust the justice system in the country. The justices have been bribed by the illegal occupant in malacanang. It’s time for a more hard confrontations……or maybe bloody one. Revolution will set us free……let the truth surface by itself.
EVERYTHING IS STAGED, with gloria and her minions as the actors.[Trip ng huwad na presidente: maraming photo-ops!]
Question: Who is the director?
The master manipulator himself: the master buta[pig], esposo “bluebird”…Taga-sunod lang itong si “lualhati”….
Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan?
Hindi pedeng i-abolish ang COMELEC. Paano na ang electoral body?
Ang DAPAT GAWIN, dahil nga tarnished na ang reputasyon ng LAHAT ng taga-COMELEC at may bahid na ng pandaraya dahil sa nabulgar na 2004 scam, DAPAT MAALIS ANG LAHAT ng nasa Comelec, simula kay kabalen abalos hanggang sa mga alipores ni taba.
PALITAN ng mga may kredibilidad na mga Pinoy na walang bahid ng anomaqlya sa pangalan. Marami diyan….Sino nagsabing walang matinong Pinoy?
AT YUNG HINDI appointee ni gloria ha?
Para patas….
taipan88…AT YUNG HINDI appointee ni gloria ha?
Para patas….
Yan ang malaking balakid para sa “reporma ng eleksyon” sa ating bansa. It’s the “SYSTEM”…by law that back the system…she has the (as her favorite line says) “constitutional power” to choose and appoint people that would comprise the COMELEC…of course being a “tuso” that she (and her faction) is, she would “annoint” those that could serve her well…people with the caliber of abalos, garci, and others of “same mold and breed” like those “two old dogs”. Ang problema, iyong CA ng Senado…pinapalusot ang mga “aw-aw” ni gloria.
Yuko and all..kahit kailan ay hindi naman isinasali ang taumbayan sa mga lintek na appointees na yan…senators nga binabastos nila, ordinaryong mamammayan pa…hindi pipols initiative ang dapat itawag sa guto nila..DEADMAN’a INITIATIVE dapat..yun lang alam nilang patusin..wat we need is PEOPLE’S ALTERNATIVE! alternative para masupil ang tonta na pandak at mga baboy niyang alagain!!!
ystakei…halos lahat ng “naka-pwesto” ngayon sa pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ay pawang “remanants if not recycled” na mga politiko at “career government officials”, like that villafuerte “vuitre” ng Bicol..or kung hindi man, mga “nag-hunyango” o “nag-balimbing” na personalidad, which made this present administration a more “lethal and vicious” authoritarian regime.
@Spartan: Naipalusot kasi sa CA yung iba, eh…
siyempre, politics: Lick my ass, I’ll lick yours…
Dog-eat-dog- system…kanya-kanya ba..
Kahit ilang eleksyon pa ang dumating, maging snap man yan o regular election, ganun at ganun rin ang kalalabasan:
Bakit? Kasi nakapuwesto ang alipores ng Lagim at ng Huwad na presidente.
Dapat HINDI People’s Initiative ang tawag dun….
Mali ang na-coin nilang salita.
Dapat LEGION’S Initiative…
O kaya naman, DEVIL’S Initiative….
Off-topic….kahapon ay naglabas ng balita ang AFP with that “comedic looking” esperon as the “main bida”…ibinandera niya ang “pagkakatuklas daw” ng isang “killing fields” ng CPP-NPA sa isang lugar sa Leyte. Kumpleto ang “ala-CSI (Las Vegas-Miami-New York rolled in one)” na presentasyon sa media. Pinakita ang maraming bungo, kalansay, at mga “natutunaw nang damit”, kasama pa ang mga “zoom-in and cut-in shots” ng mga nagdadalamhati at ngumangawang “kaanak daw” ng mga “biktima”. Ito daw ay “mass grave” ng mga “dinukot, pinahirapan, at pinatay” ng mga KOMUNISTA nuong “Dekada ’80. Ako ay hindi abogado…pero, dahil sa aking “pagka-pilosopo” matataranta agad sa aking itatanong ang mga “kaanak daw” na mga ito. May isang lalaki, “nakilala daw niya iyong isang set ng buto-buto (ano ba yan, parang tunog pang-sinigang naman yun…hehehe) na siyang nawawala niyang kapatid dahil duon sa gula-gulanit na mga damit na ipinakita sa kanila”…Ang galing ng memorya ng tao na yun…after more than 20 years, “natatandaan at nakilala” pa niya iyong damit na ubod ng dumi dahil sa putik at halos pira-piraso na ay hindi mo na masasabi kung ano talaga ang kulay at disenyo ng tela. Sabay sabi ng “reporter” na natunton daw ang “killing fields” na ito sa pamamagitan ng mga “dating miyembro” ng CPP-NPA na “ngayon ay nagsisilbi daw testigo” na sina “Joma, Jalandoni, at Satur Ocampo ang mga nagbigay ng utos na likidahin ang mga taong iyon”.
Dahil sa pagiging “tuta” ni Vic del Rosario ng Viva Films kay gloria….ang galing “gumawa” ng script at pelikula ng pangkat ni gloria ngayon. Mahilig pala mag-artista itong sina esperon, kaso iyong “showbiz” walang hilig sa kanila…hehehe.
But on a more “serious side”…gigawa ito ng grupo ni esperon upang una, ilayo at iligaw ang isyu sa mga “kalupitan at pang-aabuso” na ginagawa nina Palparan laban sa mga “aktibista”…takutin ang mga “mang-mang at walang muwang” nating mga kababayan na UBOD NG SAMA ang mga komunistang NPA….at ang pinaka-importante, ang gagawing “pagdidiin” ng mga “testigo daw” sa mga personalidad tulad ni Satur Ocampo ay magagamit nilang “alibis” kapag tuluyan na nilang “gipitin” ang mga sinasabi nilang “maka-kaliwang politoko”.
Speaking of the Commission on Election, I don’t know why they waste time having this kind of agency where the members are ALL corrupt or ALMOST ALL corrupt.
I know for example someone who wanted to get a real meaty position and to do that she has called on all the members of the CA privately and bugged them with her promotion. I was in fact asked by her to make a bogus phone call to plead to one about her position knowing what my group and I could do to boost her chances, but I declined because I would never want to be used that way even when I know that she could qualify but that she could not wait to get to the position she wanted the proper way.
I was appalled in fact when I learned that one, a Congressman, even offered to work on her appointment if she would agree to sleep with him. That made me puke literally speaking. She actually asked me to stay with her so the horny Tongressman would not have a chance to force himself on her. For that in fact I had to muster all courage and implore Heaven for additional enforcement.
This is actually not an isolated case but one that is typical I am told. Tangnang malibog na Tongressman! Hindi ba sila nahihiya niyan?
Kawawang bansa!
Oops, my mistake. This should read: Speaking of the Commission on APPOINTMENTS, I don’t know why they waste time having this kind of agency where the members are ALL corrupt or ALMOST ALL corrupt, AND ACCOMPLISHING NOTHING BUT APPOINTING THEIR FELLOW CROOKS!!!
One thing I am grateful for being in Japan and being Japanese for that matter is that we have a very responsible press over here. When there is something like this issue of the Singaw, you can be sure that it will be the talk of the town and subject of numerous talk shows until the crooks are removed and things that the public have a right to know are opened for scrutiny and possible prosecution of the guilty. Hindi puede ang mga lutong makaw like this one being cooked up by the squatters overstaying at the palace by the murky river.
Lahat hindi kakampi sa mga animal sa totoo lang, and by the end of the story we hear news of some people losing faces and jumping to their death to regain whatever is left of their shattered honor and dignity. Bakit kaya walang ganyan sa Pilipinas? Kawawa naman ang mga pilipino na nagtitiis sa mga bulok na isinusupalpal sa bunganga nila!
Kaya, Ellen, salamat for being there! God bless you for your courage! Let’s all be vigilant about this lutong makaw!
Dati kong boss si Art Panganiban. Wala akong bilib sa kaniya but I hope he will try to be the non-crook that he claims himself to be regardless of his blood kinship with the Pandak!
artsee,
ang nakikita ko dito sa bansang pilipinas, magaling lang manulsol pero walang mga lakas ng loob ng maging ‘HEADSMAN’ na gaya noong panahon ni Cromwell.
Tutoo ang sinabi mo nelbar? Iyan ang diperensiya sa opposition. Ingay at sigaw pero kapag nasa laban na walang gustong mauna o mamuno.
artsee,
Papaano ka naman gaganahan, tulad na lang halimbawa ng nabasa ko noong nakaraang Sunday sa PANORAMA(National Heroes Day feature) na ito raw si Andres D. Bonifacio ay namatay sa sugat, samantalang ang totoo ay ipinapatay sya sa pag-uutos ni Aguinaldo.
Mga takot na malaman ang katotohanan!
kung mapapaalis itong mga ito sa puesto , hiling ko lang ay ibalik ang mga perang ninakaw ng mga previous sa pinas. minsan kasi, parang daydreaming ako ng mapag babasa ko dito sa blog ang mga perang nailalabas ng pinas. from marcos to gma, bilyon-bilyong dolyar siguro ito, malamang maraming magbabalikang pinoy na umalis ng pinas. kung hindi nila ibabalik ay putol ng kahit na ano sa katawan nila. sa ngayon kasi wala namang nangyayari sa mga abusado kaya kahit sino ang pumalit ay ganuon din.. at ang perang maibabalik ay ibalik din sa mga citizens at baka sakaling ma reclaim ko ang citizenship ko. kung 80 milyon ngayon ang pinas o ipagpalagay ng 100 milyon, sa bawat 100 milyong dolyar na maibabalik sa pinas ay isang milyon bawat pinoy.. maraming pinoy ang itinataya ang buhay sa mas maliit na halaga kaysa diyan.. masasabi din natin na maswerte ang pinoy kaysa ngayon na napakamalas.
oops sorry mali yata ang arithmetic ko. panay kasi computer na dito sa opisina.
ganyan lang naman ng ganyan ang script ng EK…kalkal sila ng mga lumang issue at hahanapan ng mga taga-acting kuno…pagka biglang mag bubulaga na baho na naman ni pandak bruha at fatso ay ililihis na naman nila ang taombayan na mang-mang…alam nila na ang ordinayong mamamayan ay magbabasa lang ng tabloid, sa gitna ang unang tingin at chichika ng mga tsismis na blind item at kung may mga nakatihayang babae..saka punta sa mga classified ads…huli ang headline kuno then tapon at pambalot ang 10p(? am nt sure hw much)na tabloid?…or habang nagbabasa ay bibili pa ng sigarilyo by the stick.pero yun pala palamunin ng anak or asawa na nagta-trabaho sa karaoke or dancer sa beerhaus…so typical…ganyan any buhay ng mga masang mangmang…sana ay magkaroon ng magmamalasakit sa kanila para maimulat ang dapat at hindi dapat..too late?…well, it has to start somewhere..like our maids?, our workers?..’Even if it appears’sabi ni tong-balos..even if it appears….i am obviously acting, makisakay nalang kayo hahahaha!!!!…yan ang dapat nyang sinabi…GAGO SYA!!! MATANDANG ULYANIN!!!!
“Even if…it appears” that the signatures gathered satisfy the requirements for a People’s Initiative statement from COMELEC Comm. Abalos, is an ambigous one!
Kahit na na-dismiss ang petition ng Singaw ng Bayan, sa isang normal na palakad ng batas ay kailangan munang maghain ng motion for reconsideration. Pero itong si Atty. Lambino sa halip na malungkot ay natuwa pa! Siya ay isang abogado at alam niya na kailangan muna siyang mag-file ng motion for reconsideration sa COMELEC pero bakit ang sasabihin ng kanyang grupo na Singaw ng Bayan na i-elevate kaagad nila sa Supreme Court?
Halatado naman ang kanilang mga pakana.
Kung sinuman sa mga kaalyado ng Singaw ng Bayan at One Voice ang nagbabasa sa blog na ito, ang kailangan ng Pilipinas ay ang pagbabago at pagpapalit ng liderato ng pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng SNAP ELECTION.
Changing the CHARTER is what PANDAK wants to SCREW us further and be in the bottom of the pit.
Ellen,
I seem to recall that a analysts in media created a hoopla surrounding Panganiban’s suspicious turnaround about the death penalty or the Court’s misdemeanor for having allowed the lethal injection of a technically innocent man.
They insinuated that Panganiban made his pompous volte face to an astounded nation via great media hypings, in preparation, perhaps, for another turnaround or revision of the Santiago v Comelec SC ruling.
So, with that in mind and given the circumstances with which haste the Comelec resolved to junk the PI petition, and with government equally losing no time at all passing the ball on to Panganiban’s court, there are reasonable grounds for believing that the people of the Philippines, (I mean the real people and not the Lambino list containing “the signatures of the dead and those in prison”), may find themselves being stitched, duped, taken for a ride, in other words, cheated once more and for the umpteenth time.
OK, let’s not malign Supreme Court Chief Jester Panganiban and his associate court jester friends yet and wait a teeny weenie bit. Who knows, they might come up with a sage ruling. After all, I’ve heard that these jerks pray to the Almighty for guidance and listen to voices in dark for inspiration (Didn’t Panganiban do that before minutes before ex Court Chief Jester swore Gloria to her new kingdom in 2001?).
But to be very honest with you, I’d really like Panganiban and the moral bansot queen’s Supreme Court jesters to reverse or revise the SC’s prior Santiago v Comelec and pen a ruling in favor of government’s petition because then, we can judge what stuff Filipinos, intellectuals, burgis, masa, genuine politicos, political warlords, etc. are really made of.
Would they accept such decision sitting down, with just about the same whimpers, whines and moans in media by way of protest or would it trigger the next people power revolution and finally put the queen under the guillotine?
Ah, if only I could read into a crystal ball…
Anna:
Panganiban did not just say he prayed to God to remove Estrada. He said that he actually played God to remove him! Even if for example he vote against the Singaw initiative, he can be outvoted by the other appointees of the Pandak and the Fatso for sans the Pandak, they cannot be sure of their positions at the SC especially when Filipinos can prove cronyism in their appointments that is I understand recognized as illegal even in Philippine law and legal parlance. Right now, actually, talking of rule of law is a useless endeavor.
I cannot help but think back to EDSA 2…Unfortunately, the hands of time cannot be brought back. But for those like me who have made mistakes like supporting this woman in EDSA 2, what we can do is to correct a wrong—however small it may be. Indeed, history is unfolding as to how things will all turn out in the end. And no matter how slow it seems, I would not like to lose hope that a better Philippines will emerge without this woman who simply has demoralized her people, to say the very least. One of the lessons I have learned, is that doing things impulsively, or swiftly, does not bring out the best results…Sadly, the country is where it is today, and we, too, are to be blamed.
Ms. Ellen was right, we did take a shortcut in our constitution to remove ERAP. And now Gloria wants to also right her wrong, so she wants the constitution changed!
nelbar, maraming bagay at katotohanan ang pinagtatakpan. Halimbawang may nabasa ako sa tunay na pagkamatay ni Pangulong Magsaysay…CIA daw at may nilagay na bomba sa eroplano; pinalabas na plane crash. Ang idol kong si Bruce Lee nilason ng Chinese Mafia o Triad dahil ayaw magbigay o dagdagan ang tong (lagay). Si Ninoy iba ang nagpapatay at hinding-hindi si Marcos. Kaya hindi pa malaman ang tunay na mastermind kasi CIA hit daw iyan. At baka kasabwat si Ramos na isang Amboy o direktang sangkot siya. Buhay pa ang mga tunay na utak. Sana ganyan din mangyari kay Tiyanak…matepok siya sa St. Luke’s kunwari na food poison o nagkamali ng injection sa kanya ng doctor.
chabeli, artsee,
baka madale tayo ng libel n’yan. alalahanin n’yo, si termite-a ay kaalyado nina tabatsoy. ganun din sina bakulawdio at dependot. anyway, pare-pareho lang ang kulay ng mga’yan. di nga ba, birds of same appetite, …together? sori, dapat censored ‘yan. me and my dirty head.
Dapat idaan na lang sa blind items ang mga iyan ano? Anyway, may abogado naman ibibigay si Ellen sa amin sakaling kasuhan kami ng libel.
artsee and Mrivera,
ang pagkakaalam ko sa isang sanggano, maton at talipandas image na umokupa sa palasyo ng malakanyang ay isang lalaki at babae?
Iyong isa ay may bigote at ang isa naman ay may nunal sa mukha.
nelbar,
sino yung may bigote, si glue? eh, yung may nunal, sino? huwag mong sabihing si ……………diba matagal nang wala si hernana perez?
Ellen:
Frankly, I learned about what Erap was doing from your column, and tried to weigh things with information I got from the priest running an institution funded by Erap’s foundation, and another from a friend of Loi himself who was close to the Estradas.
I was not a supporter of the EDSAs, for I knew EDSA 1 was used by the US in fact to remove Marcos who had become some persona-non-grata to the US as a matter of fact, and the transport to the US in fact was no attempt to give him a haven but to try him there that I thought was an insult to the judicial system of the Philippines for the US court in fact has no right to try crimes committed in the Philippines even when the victims or relatives of the victims are no longer Philippine residents.
It is a matter of jurisdiction as a matter of fact just like a case of some Filipino seamen who killed a Japanese engineer on board a ship on international waters. Even when the Filipinos were arrested in Japan, the case was turned over to the country of origin of the ship and the Filipinos sent there to be tried and sentenced.
Accordingly, I could not understand why Filipinos should be elated or wish even now that the US should solve their problems for them.
Then came EDSA 2. I was glad that Erap could be brought to trial although I thought he was being tried for the wrong reason as I saw his getting bribes from Singson, etc. was not plunder but bribery. I was not aware of any abuse of power but for all that I was hearing from his friends who used to work at the Philippine Embassy in Japan, I thought he should be tried likewise for incompetence, etc.
I heard a lot of the moro-moro during Erap’s administration because majority of his deputy ministers were friends who served in Japan, and became his friends when he would visit as a Senator or VP and they wined and dined him. I could only pity him as they laughed at his back though, and say all those nasty things about him.
Orly Mercado, BTW, is a good friend of mine. What he did or undid during his heyday in politics I leave it for history to judge. He was an LDS, too, but he had since fallen away. I doubt if his name is still in the church list.
Sayang nga siya kasi we had high hopes for him when he entered politics. Ambagan kami para makapasok siya sa Batasan. Unfortunately, he, too, must have gotten contaminated with the terrible malady of graft and corruption among politicians there that he proved to be a failure.
I’m glad Ellen that you have clarified your stand about EDSA 2 and the railroading of the impeachment. Medyo suya nga ako noon because I wanted the impeachment to go through para madala na ang mga walanghiya. I hated those Aboitizes who were disrupting the Impeachment as a matter of fact. Iyon pala isa pala sila sa planners ng Pandak administration.
But I loved you when you wrote that article about FPJ endorsing his candidacy even when in fact I was kind of nervous of what kind of president he would be, but I surely hated the hypocrites who would not give him a chance to prove himself as one who really cared for his country and people just because he had no college degree. Para sa akin, ang babaw na katwiran.
I actually wanted Senator Pimentel to run for the presidency and even quarrelled with those people trying to talk him out of it, but when the United Opposition that he actually had helped form decided to choose FPJ as their candidate for president, I had no other choice but to promote the United Opposition’s choice in Japan.
We actually got majority of our senatorial bets elected, but as expected FPJ did not win because of the possible cheating that the appointment of Garcillano was all about. In fact, Senator Pimentel protested against his appointment, pero walang nagawa because of the power of money being passed around the pala boys led by Joe de-Mentia.
Talk of dayaan, we discovered over here in fact that there was dayaan with votes apparently tampered, and the embassy giving the excuse that a lot of the mailed votes were diverted to/from the Comelec that should have been discarded as a matter of fact for possible tampering.
In fact, in Japan, we discovered the discrepancies and the difference in the votes for the Pandak and the combined votes of Roco and FPJ that was obvious but we did not notice at first until we asked our Japanese volunteers to check on the figures we obtained from the embassy canvassing and tallied with members of NAMFREL. They were the ones who discovered the discrepancies even by simple Arithmetic. I actually have kept a copy of our tallies as I myself had served as a foreign observer for AKBAYAN. Two days walang tulog as a matter of fact.
I was actually disappointed with Roco for giving up so early even when he was himself a victim of the election fraud. Si FPJ and Villanueva nga lang ang malakas na umalma.
That in a nutshell Ellen is how we discovered the cheating during the election even in Japan, and reason for the unpopularity of the OAV here now. There were a lot many Filipinos who registered then but were de-franchised. Kaya no matter how much you tell them to re-register, ayaw! “Bakit kami paloloko ulit? Si Pandak na naman ang bida diyan, huwag na!” is what they say.
Dapat tanggalin si Abalos at ipalit hindi tauhan ni Pandak! Otherwise, let’s demand for the abolition of the Comelec. Puede naman ibigay iyan doon sa local government agency kaya lang not now that the burot Pandak is there leading the Filipinos to perdition and despair!
Kawawang bansa talaga!
Mabuti naman ay hindi lang ako ang hindi naniwala sa Edsa Uno. Tama at tutoong tinanggal lang ng US si Marcos dahil wala nang pakinabang siya sa Amerika. Pero aminin na natin na tulad ng marami, si Ate Ellen ay naniwala o naniniwala pa sa Edsa Uno. Karamihan sa sumoporta kay Cory ay ganyan ang position. May ibang manunulat na nagbago na ng paniniwala at alam ngayon na mali ang kanilang ginawa kay Marcos noon. Isa na dito si Herman Tiu Laurel na aktibista noon at pro-Cory tulad ni Ate Ellen; pero kung tanungin mo siya sasabihin niya sa iyo na nagbago na siya ng palagay kay Marcos. Sana ganoon din si Ate Ellen at mga iba. Dapat lang ituwid ang kasaysayan. Tulad nitong tiyanak, inagaw ni Cory ang kapangyarihan kay Marcos. Ginamit lang ng US si Cory tulad ng paggamit kay Magsaysay at mga iba pa nating mga pangulo.
hindi talaga mapigilan ang singaw ng baho dahil matapos ibasura ng mga basurero sa comelec, ang mga perHUWESyo naman ngayon sa supreme court ang kukulitin nina lambayagno dahil ang 1997 injunction daw ay isa lamang opinyon.
talaga naman oo, para ng mga asong ulol ang mga nasa likod ng piso initiative ng malakanyang, ayaw pang sumuko. kahit magmistulang mga makabagong hudas masunod lamang ang kapritso ng kanilang reyna de buruka gagawin ang lahat maipakita lamang ang kanilang malalintang pagkapit sa umaalingasaw na palda ni glue. huwag sanang masilaw sa taksan taksang datung ang mga kagalang galang na mga senyor huwes.
chabeli,
kung natatandaan mo, si reyna buruka na atat makatuntong uli sa malakanyang ang unang unang sumigaw na magresign na si erap nung edsa dos. hindi lang kasi nakita ng tao ang tunay na kahulugan ng mga ngiti ng inang p.tang yan. kaya nga bandang huli matapos sumambulat ang nakakasukang baho nung 2004 election, biglang bumaliktad sina cory, di ba? si tabako lang ang urong sulong na parang hindi natutunawan o sinusumpong ng luslos. nakakaasar pati yung hitsura ng mukha habang nag-a-i’m sorrow. may papungay pa ng mata na parang nakikiusap sa asawang baboy na huwag mo munang tatapusin, please, makati pa ang bungang araw ko sa si..it ko.
Naku…ang mga nag-iingay ngayon kasama at kasabawat noon sa pagpatalsik kay Erap. Kung matino lang si tiyanak at hindi ganitong kasama, baka mapilitan akong tulungan siya ngayon kung ang mga kalaban niya’y tulad ng mga Cory at ang Hyatt 10 na walang iba kundi ang Civil Society. Pastor Saycon? Abat? Luz? ABS-CBN? Lopezes? Mga journalists at columnists na kontra tiyanak ngayon…Sino ba sila? Nasaan sila noon? Sila din ang sumalbahe kay Erap di ba?
artsee,
ganyan naman, di ba? yang mga yan, mga kulang sa pansin. kapag hindi maibigay ang mga gusto, parang mga bulig na pinalo sa ulo, nagtatatarang. anyway, pare pareho lang naman ang obsesyon ng mga yan. palibhasa may mga interest na pinangangalagaan. dami kasing uto uto sa mga karaniwang pobre natin. daling maloko sa mga pangako.