(The following column by Federico D. Pascual Jr. appeared in Philippine Star today.)
Mike’s throwing weight around hurts President
HONG KONG (Via PLDT) – Do not let the dateline fool you. Yes, I am in the former British colony all right, but only at the airport tarmac unable to set foot literally on this special administrative region of China.
The “Via PLDT” means I have been using PLDT facilities. Its WeRoam wireless card in my laptop enables me to send-receive email, surf the net, update my ManilaMail website, and do other communication tricks, from any point in the world reached by radio signals of Smart and its co-operators.
Seated on this Philippine Airlines Airbus 330, I am tapping away at my IBM laptop-tablet as Chinese workers clean and resupply this erstwhile presidential plane coded PR 001.
I said “erstwhile presidential,” because with President Gloria Arroyo, her family and a coterie of officials having disembarked to spend the Halloween in HKSAR, this plane is suddenly just a plain aircraft.
The rest of us common guests of the President – remnants of what was originally a 185-something delegation – have been told to stay aboard while waiting for our 1.5-hour onward flight to Manila.
* * *
NO SHOPPING: Gone were First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, presidential sons Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo and Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo (2nd Dist., Pampanga), Dato’s wife Victoria Celina, Mikey’s wife Angela, presidential daughter Evangelina Lourdes M. Arroyo (although I did not spot her), and granddaughters Mikaela Gloria and Marie Angelique.
Presidential brother-in-law, Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, whom I kept looking at because he reminded me of, huh, Superman, disembarked with the First Family.
A few of us stragglers have moved to the forward seats in the business section earlier occupied by the presidential party. Those of us content with plebeian pleasures are keeping our economy seats.
Being locked in means I will not be able to look for an adaptor or converter – if they have invented one already – that can link my IBM X-41t laptop-tablet to my car lighter outlet. (Btw, the Chinese have bought giant firm IBM and renamed it Lenovo.)
Businessman Jose Concepcion, seated behind me, will not be able to go to the duty-free shops in the transit area for the champoy pasalubong that he had been longing to buy at every stop in our five-day hopping around China.
* * *
HONG KONG SKED: The First Gentleman told us when we were on that four-hour boat cruise last Sunday on the scenic Lijiang River in Guilin that the family was to spend All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in Hong Kong.
If you ask me, the President needs a well-deserved rest after that grueling hectic schedule. Again if you ask me, she should have her grandchildren around their lola while she recharged.
Mike Arroyo said the kids might go to Disneyland (they are entitled to all that fun, if you ask me), but the President will continue working while in Hong Kong. She has a lineup of meeting with local businessmen, potential investors and members of the Filipino community.
* * *
BRUSH WITH MIKE: It was uncanny how Mr. Arroyo ambled from the upper deck of the boat and joined our table for six just as we finished lunch and were in the middle of conversation.
His ebullient chief of staff Juris Umali-Soliman introduced us. When it came to me, he pretended not to have recognized me. We have talked before, once outside the President’s suite at the Waldorf Astoria during one official visit to the US.
“So you’re the one,” he said, and added a three-letter something that is not said in polite society. As one not intimidated by uncouth language, I just looked at him, studying his demeanor very carefully.
The husband of the President was playing a game.
“Why are you always attacking me?” he demanded. I did not bother to answer, because his “always” premise was not correct. When he did something laudable and I learned of it in relation to what I was discussing, I mentioned it in my column.
It is not my fault if there are not that many times that we hear of something new and good to write about him. * * *
CHILLING EFFECT: After his opening jab, Mr. Arroyo backpedaled a bit and conceded that I discuss issues in my column and that I may not have malice.
“You are a public figure,” I told him. He riposted that he was not a public official.
I clarified that I did not say “public official,” but “public figure.” I did not have to explain my terms, because as a lawyer he should know the difference as well as the legal implications.
We got to talk about other things, including Ramon Tulfo, a good friend of his who has written about his alleged activities and one of his women-friends. Tulfo and his brothers in media are now feeling Mr. Arroyo’s ire by way of libel suits and other pressure.
As of last count, Mr. Arroyo has filed 43 libel suits against journalists, quite a record for a single complainant. * * *
INSULTING A GUEST: It was the wrong time for Mr. Arroyo to engage me or any of the guests of the President in a confrontational exchange. Why invite a reluctant guest, then attempt to insult him in the presence of other guests?
But I am grateful for that incident. At least, it confirmed my impression of this juvenile who wields awesome powers by the accident of his being married to the President of the Republic.
It also explains why he turns off many Capampangans. A number of the President’s cabalen see him as a burden to the presidency. “Hindi na nga nakatutulong, nakasisira pa,” is a common comment.
At that moment, I had in my laptop beside me some research materials, including a piece by Theodore O. Te, an assistant UP professor of law. Maybe I should have asked him to read it, at least for his education. * * *
PUBLIC FIGURE: Te said among other things:
“Mike Arroyo is not an ordinary person. He is the President’s husband who occupies a distinct position in government and in the public consciousness. While he may not be a public officer under the law, he must be considered a public figure for purposes of the law on libel.
“In United States v. Bustos, the Supreme Court stated that (t)he interest of society and the maintenance of good government demand a full discussion of public affairs. Complete liberty to comment on the conduct of public figures is a scalpel in the case of free speech. The sharp incision of its probe relieves the abscesses of officialdom. Men and women in public life may suffer under a hostile and unjust accusation; the wound may be assuaged by the balm of a clear conscience. A public official must not be too thin-skinned with reference to comments upon his official acts. This became the basis of what would become known as the Public Figure exception to libel.
“In New York Times v. Sullivan, the United States Supreme Court ruled that honest criticisms of conduct of public officials and public figures are insulated from libel. Public figures are prohibited from recovering damages for defamatory falsehoods relating to official conduct unless shown to be made with actual malice, that is, with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard as to its truth.
“The Public Figure exception to libel was adopted in the Philippines and later expanded in Borjal v. Court of Appeals, where the Supreme Court ruled that a matter that is of public or general interest cannot become less so merely because a private individual is involved; the public’s primary interest is in the event, the public focus is on the conduct of the participant and the content, effect and significance of the conduct, not the participant’s prior anonymity or notoriety. In effect, the court allowed the Public Figure exception to be applied to a private individual for so long as the subject matter written about is of public or general interest.
“The First Gentleman is a private individual simply because he does not occupy an elective or appointive public office cannot justify his filing of 43 libel suits. His statements and conduct are of public or general interest because of the last name he shares with the President. The various causes to which he attaches either his name or his title open doors and purses that would otherwise be closed to anyone else.
“So when FG throws his weight around by filing suits against journalists who are tasked to write about things he would rather not read about but which the public must know, it bears directly on freedom of expression and of the press.
“Because the name Mike Arroyo and the title First Gentleman are perceived rightly or wrongly to open doors that would otherwise be closed, and because judges and prosecutors are appointed by the woman he shares a last name with, the implications on fairness and impartiality in the 43 libel suits become manifest.”
* * *
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The Philippine Star 11/02/2006HONG KONG (Via PLDT) – Do not let the dateline fool you. Yes, I am in the former British colony all right, but only at the airport tarmac unable to set foot literally on this special administrative region of China.
The “Via PLDT” means I have been using PLDT facilities. Its WeRoam wireless card in my laptop enables me to send-receive email, surf the net, update my ManilaMail website, and do other communication tricks, from any point in the world reached by radio signals of Smart and its co-operators.
Seated on this Philippine Airlines Airbus 330, I am tapping away at my IBM laptop-tablet as Chinese workers clean and resupply this erstwhile presidential plane coded PR 001.
I said “erstwhile presidential,” because with President Gloria Arroyo, her family and a coterie of officials having disembarked to spend the Halloween in HKSAR, this plane is suddenly just a plain aircraft.
The rest of us common guests of the President – remnants of what was originally a 185-something delegation – have been told to stay aboard while waiting for our 1.5-hour onward flight to Manila.
* * *
NO SHOPPING: Gone were First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, presidential sons Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo and Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo (2nd Dist., Pampanga), Dato’s wife Victoria Celina, Mikey’s wife Angela, presidential daughter Evangelina Lourdes M. Arroyo (although I did not spot her), and granddaughters Mikaela Gloria and Marie Angelique.
Presidential brother-in-law, Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, whom I kept looking at because he reminded me of, huh, Superman, disembarked with the First Family.
A few of us stragglers have moved to the forward seats in the business section earlier occupied by the presidential party. Those of us content with plebeian pleasures are keeping our economy seats.
Being locked in means I will not be able to look for an adaptor or converter – if they have invented one already – that can link my IBM X-41t laptop-tablet to my car lighter outlet. (Btw, the Chinese have bought giant firm IBM and renamed it Lenovo.)
Businessman Jose Concepcion, seated behind me, will not be able to go to the duty-free shops in the transit area for the champoy pasalubong that he had been longing to buy at every stop in our five-day hopping around China.
* * *
HONG KONG SKED: The First Gentleman told us when we were on that four-hour boat cruise last Sunday on the scenic Lijiang River in Guilin that the family was to spend All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in Hong Kong.
If you ask me, the President needs a well-deserved rest after that grueling hectic schedule. Again if you ask me, she should have her grandchildren around their lola while she recharged.
Mike Arroyo said the kids might go to Disneyland (they are entitled to all that fun, if you ask me), but the President will continue working while in Hong Kong. She has a lineup of meeting with local businessmen, potential investors and members of the Filipino community.
* * *
BRUSH WITH MIKE: It was uncanny how Mr. Arroyo ambled from the upper deck of the boat and joined our table for six just as we finished lunch and were in the middle of conversation.
His ebullient chief of staff Juris Umali-Soliman introduced us. When it came to me, he pretended not to have recognized me. We have talked before, once outside the President’s suite at the Waldorf Astoria during one official visit to the US.
“So you’re the one,” he said, and added a three-letter something that is not said in polite society. As one not intimidated by uncouth language, I just looked at him, studying his demeanor very carefully.
The husband of the President was playing a game.
“Why are you always attacking me?” he demanded. I did bother to answer, because his “always” premise was not correct. When he did something laudable and I learned of it in relation to what I was discussing, I mentioned it in my column.
It is not my fault if there are not that many times that we hear of something new and good to write about him. * * *
CHILLING EFFECT: After his opening jab, Mr. Arroyo backpedaled a bit and conceded that I discuss issues in my column and that I may not have malice.
“You are a public figure,” I told him. He riposted that he was not a public official.
I clarified that I did not say “public official,” but “public figure.” I did not have to explain my terms, because as a lawyer he should know the difference as well as the legal implications.
We got to talk about other things, including Ramon Tulfo, a good friend of his who has written about his alleged activities and one of his women-friends. Tulfo and his brothers in media are now feeling Mr. Arroyo’s ire by way of libel suits and other pressure.
As of last count, Mr. Arroyo has filed 43 libel suits against journalists, quite a record for a single complainant. * * *
INSULTING A GUEST: It was the wrong time for Mr. Arroyo to engage me or any of the guests of the President in a confrontational exchange. Why invite a reluctant guest, then attempt to insult him in the presence of other guests?
But I am grateful for that incident. At least, it confirmed my impression of this juvenile who wields awesome powers by the accident of his being married to the President of the Republic.
It also explains why he turns off many Capampangans. A number of the President’s cabalen see him as a burden to the presidency. “Hindi na nga nakatutulong, nakasisira pa,” is a common comment.
At that moment, I had in my laptop beside me some research materials, including a piece by Theodore O. Te, an assistant UP professor of law. Maybe I should have asked him to read it, at least for his education. * * *
PUBLIC FIGURE: Te said among other things:
“Mike Arroyo is not an ordinary person. He is the President’s husband who occupies a distinct position in government and in the public consciousness. While he may not be a public officer under the law, he must be considered a public figure for purposes of the law on libel.
“In United States v. Bustos, the Supreme Court stated that (t)he interest of society and the maintenance of good government demand a full discussion of public affairs. Complete liberty to comment on the conduct of public figures is a scalpel in the case of free speech. The sharp incision of its probe relieves the abscesses of officialdom. Men and women in public life may suffer under a hostile and unjust accusation; the wound may be assuaged by the balm of a clear conscience. A public official must not be too thin-skinned with reference to comments upon his official acts. This became the basis of what would become known as the Public Figure exception to libel.
“In New York Times v. Sullivan, the United States Supreme Court ruled that honest criticisms of conduct of public officials and public figures are insulated from libel. Public figures are prohibited from recovering damages for defamatory falsehoods relating to official conduct unless shown to be made with actual malice, that is, with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard as to its truth.
“The Public Figure exception to libel was adopted in the Philippines and later expanded in Borjal v. Court of Appeals, where the Supreme Court ruled that a matter that is of public or general interest cannot become less so merely because a private individual is involved; the public’s primary interest is in the event, the public focus is on the conduct of the participant and the content, effect and significance of the conduct, not the participant’s prior anonymity or notoriety. In effect, the court allowed the Public Figure exception to be applied to a private individual for so long as the subject matter written about is of public or general interest.
“The First Gentleman is a private individual simply because he does not occupy an elective or appointive public office cannot justify his filing of 43 libel suits. His statements and conduct are of public or general interest because of the last name he shares with the President. The various causes to which he attaches either his name or his title open doors and purses that would otherwise be closed to anyone else.
“So when FG throws his weight around by filing suits against journalists who are tasked to write about things he would rather not read about but which the public must know, it bears directly on freedom of expression and of the press.
“Because the name Mike Arroyo and the title First Gentleman are perceived rightly or wrongly to open doors that would otherwise be closed, and because judges and prosecutors are appointed by the woman he shares a last name with, the implications on fairness and impartiality in the 43 libel suits become manifest.”
Was Mr. Pascual there on a freebie trip courtesy of Malacañang? Maybe that’s why Mike Arroyo feels he can insult him.
That’s how caciques think.
And to think that Mr. Pascual is supportive of the Arroyo administration.
Hi Ellen,
I read Kuya Dik’s article last night. Kuya Dik is not one to be easily upset so he must have been really turned off by Mr Arroyo to write scathing remarks about him.
I wonder how my boss feels about it (Dik Pascual’s article.)
Btw, I interviewed Senator Madrigal and Representative Ocampo when they were here. Wonder what happened to my paper…
It’s good that he wrote about it.
I told you, guys, the die has been cast. Malapit na si Pandak. Tignan natin kung madaliin din ni JdV ang ChaCha nila ni Abueva!!!
What I’d like to know is if D. Pascual’s pasahe was courtesy of Mala(s)-canang (disguise for looting people’s money); or pinadala siya doon by virtue of PST’s private money.
Y, malapit na talaga at lalo pang napapadali sa mga kabalbalan ng Malaking Pidal. Sige pa Mike, awayin mo pa ang iyong mga guest journalists para mo nang awa!
Plain and simple ARROGANCE-one of the ramification of power! El esposo gordo throwing his weight around! The man apparently likes to squash people around-like suing 43 journalists!
Mike Arroyo seems to have this illusion of being somebody big and great. Big, he is; great, he is not!
The first picture I saw of the esposo gordo was one taken at the squatter area near the palace by the murky river, and he was posing ala-Imelda, trying hard to endear himself to the poor in preparation for 2004!!! But the hypocrisy was oozing and I felt like puking! Hindi bagay!!! 😡
Pagmumukha na lang nakakakulo na ng dugo lalo pa siguro pag nagmura na puntong bisaya! May kasamang army siguro kaya matapang. I heard of the private army with guns smuggled through some shores in the north.
Guest or not, a person, even a close friend should never be insulted by a person of his stature in the presence of others. This only shows how uneducated this “juvenile” is.
Yuko,
Nature has a way of making things even… Look at Gloria’s husband, a fatso of the ugliest variety (ganid and crook), his enormous weight does not match his voice – highpitched like a castra (apologies to the Italian Castra)…
Btw, you talking of Chavit Singson smuggling syndicate somewhere in Ilocos? A base or an island owned by Singson is used to store in smuggled goods like scooters, bikes, what have you.
Schumey,
Totoo yan! What I think happened is that Arroyo stored whatever instructions he learned from all those expensive schools his parents sent him to in his backside, thus his backside does all the thinking and most of the talking…
hi ellen and fellow blogers
how true is it that the while GMA was in china,she
was advised by her doctors to have a medical check
up in HK,the reason why those unfriendly journalist
was barred by FG pidal from disembarking,because they
were to noosy,this is now circulating among filipinos
here in LA..they think GMA`s liver is something wrong
and it`s serious..well!!to quote mr arnold clavio…
“LORD!!!IKAW NA PO ANG BAHALA!!
Schumey,
You are correct to say that one should not be insulted in public; and if I may add, praise a person in public, and correct him/her in private. El esposo gordo loves to claim and talk about his lineage, and how pedigreed he is. When it comes to breeding, the pig seems to behave like a dog.
———————-
Ocayvalle,
I heard that rumor of Gloria’s “medical check-up in Hong Kong”, too, and read it also in another blog. I wonder how true…and if her liver is in bad shape, that would be Divine Intervention.
chabeli!!
thanks..let`s all pray so this eerie nigthmare of the filipino people will be over!!we all had enough of this
GMA and FG and her evil minions,they sould be ousted the hard way and earliest.they dont deserved a minute of stay in malacanang..GMA is a bogus,a fake pretending to be a president!!
“whom the God wants to destroy,they make them mad”
kaya siguro lumabas na yung true colors ng mga pidal sibling`s..datu filed a case against Rep Cayetano at house ethics,(poodle) luli got mad at immigration officer padlan in NAIA..LORD!!IKAW NA PO ANG BAHALA..to quote
mr arnold clavio..
When Glue becomes out-of-sight (now you see her now you don’t)
and bans photographers (iyon lang kanyang official kodakman ang kukuha), gaya ni Marcos, malamang sa hindi ay may katotohanan ang mga hearsay. Pagkahaba-haba daw ng prosisyon, sa simbahan din ang tuloy. In case of Glue, hindi siya tutuloy ng simbahan!
Re: Chavit Singson’s smuggling syndicate
The smuggling activities in Barangay Poro Pingit, Magsingal, Ilocos Sur is a small-time compared to Port Salumague, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur and Poro Point, San Fernando, La Union. Both ports are run by Chavit’s cronies and relatives. Barangay Poro Pingit smugglers are poor fishermen engage in buying “junks” -used scooters, TV and other electronic items from enterprising Pinoy seamen with the” blessings” from the ship captain. Illegal trading is done while cargo ships in transit to Manila or elsewhere. The Coast Guards and Ilocos Sur Philippine National Police are “blind” seeing no evil-speak no evil. Local barrio folks know the schedule when ships are passing by the Ilocos coast. The South China Sea lanes one of world’s busiest shipping lanes. Fatso’s alleged lover Victoria iToh and his bogus brother-in-law Thomas are big-time technical smugglers in Manila ports. They are untouchables due to their Malacanang mafia connection.
You bet, Chabeli, about Divine Intervention. Just like when Marcos got seriously ill after he declared Martial Law!
But Gloria being sick in the liver, I doubt. She must be sick in the head!
Let us just pray that the end is near and she faces the final curtain. Naks, parang Sinatra’s song!
the “juvenile whale” we are talking about here is the BIG-MAN BEHIND THE SMALL-WOMAN, who holds “enormous power” courtesy of the presidency that “she stole not only ones but twice”, and “holding and hanging onto it” like a “gecko on the madrecacao tree”. “What goes up will always goes down”, though the only question now is WHEN…when would the time that “this evil duo” of mike “Tabang Lamig” arroyo and gloria “maitim ang gilagid” macapal-ang mukha-arroyo would “bite the dusts”? Because when that “TIME” comes, WE ALL must make sure that THEY PAY THEIR DEBTS to the Motherland and her children, the Filipino “common” People.
ystakei….problema dyan sa kanta ni Frank Sinatra, it also says..”I did what I had to do…”..hehehe, kaya nga naman dahil sabi ni “aleng maitim ang gilagid” na “she’s the best one to lead the country”…ayun, NANDAYA ANG LOLA nya…hehehe 😛
If this bullying of the Fatso had happened in Japan, or if he had been Japanese, he would be the subject of a mass media campaign to remove him and his wife from their exalted positions.
The best thing journalists in the Philippines should do is to write more criticisms of this crook, and expose all his illegal activities.
Golly, akala mo kung sino! Tirahin na nila ito para masibak na. Dito iyan, hindi iyan titigilan hangga’t di natatanggal. No more of those propaganda for these crooks squatting at the palace by the murky river!
BTW, Anna, when Vi Massart met with the Bansot, was she asked about Anna de Brux, her No. 1 critic in Belgium? I wonder.
“Mike’s throwing weight around hurts President”—Frankly, I find this as a mistitle, for the Fatso may be throwing his weight around, but it isn’t just that that hurts the bogus president, who has not done anything right as a matter of fact. Kasi sa mag-asawang ito, nauuna ang yabang!!!
Mike Arroyo seems to be dying to be a somebody, he got more than he bargained for at the expense of 43 journalists. “…quite a record for a single complainant” His dream must be to make it to the Guiness World Book of Records!
Why don’t the 43 journalists BOYCOTT this pig and his midget? Wouldn’t it be a good idea for the 43 journalists to not write about them or even have photos of them in their dailies? Let’s see who’ll suffer-especially now that it’s election time (or so we think)!
…and if I may also add, why not include the Legions of the Pig and the Midget? That will get them pissed-and should the elections push through, they would have gotten NO MEDIA MILEAGE! Or if they do, they would have to pay lots of money for it! Hahaha, that would be funny!
I-dead ma nalang sila. After all, their photos on the dailies, or stories about them, don’t sell. They are all OLD NEWS as far as I’m concerned.
Hi Yuko,
Nope, I don’t think Gloria cared to ask her that at all… But she could’ve asked someone at the embassy.
wondering what that three-letter-something was … and if it was impolite enough for the columnist to sue the FG for slander.
Chabeli suggested:”Why don’t the 43 journalists BOYCOTT this pig and his midget? Wouldn’t it be a good idea for the 43 journalists to not write about them or even have photos of them in their dailies? Let’s see who’ll suffer-especially now that it’s election time (or so we think)!”
I don’t believe in boycotts. A journalist’s job is to inform the people. So we inform them the truth about Gloria and Mike Aroyo. If he doesn’t like what I write, that’s his problem.
a nephew lawyer told me that sometimes this none gentleman is winning his libel cases. is this true?
I don’t know of any libel case against journalists that Mike Arroyo has won. But you can never tell. He has the capacity to pressure the judges.
sorry not for journalists but on others. a judge gave a warrant of arrest on a senator due to this guy, i was told.
Oh yes. That was against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. But the sheriff has apologized. He forgot that a senator is immune from arrest while Senate is in session and he went to the Senate to arrest Jinggoy! Just like the immigration officials in the case of Luli, the sheriff was over-acting to please Arroyo.
But Mike Arroyo has not won any libel suits, yet.
Bakit ba napunta dito sa Tsina ang paborito kong Kolumnistang si Dick Pascual? Baka pag-uwi niya iba na ang tono ng kanyang pagsulat. Wala akong bilib sa mga journalists na sumasama sa biyahe ng mga demonyo sa Malacanang. Hindi maiwasan na mag-usap sila ng mga magnanakaw at mga alipores ni tiyanak. Kaya magiging questionable ang kanilang kredibilidad. Sana hindi si Dick.
Mr. Chabeli, may mga journalists na nabibili din o nachachabeli. Kaya hindi natin maaasahan na tapat sila sa kanilang propesyon. Ito na lang si Alex Maligno, lintek ang mga biyayang kanyang tinatamasa ngayon. Si Max Solven, solve na solve ang mga problema. Pagmasdan niyo ang kanyang makinis na mukha. Walang kulubot at mas bata sa kanyang tunay na edad. Biyaya iyang ng modernong siyensiya…at siyempre kung may pera ka. Ang hindi lang niya magawa ay magpataas ng sukat. Kung puwede, matagal nang nagpataas si tiyanak kahit isang pulgada lang. Eto si Ate Ellen lang ang mukhang kawawa. Biro mo nag-tricyle at bus lang para magpagamot at bumili ng gamot. Huwag kang mag-alala Ate…ang pamasko ko sa iyo isang helicopter at apat na katulong Intsik na manggagaling sa Peking. Mag-aral ka na ng Mandarin ha? At bibigyan din kita ng isang magaling na Kusinerong Intsik na ang paboritong luto ay Peking Duck. Sa Malacanang kasi, ang luto lang doon ay Peking Tiyanak.
Ikaw talaga, Artsee. Enjoy naman ako sa pagsakay sa bus. Matagta ang tricyle. Kaya lang shortride lang naman. Tri-sikad yung sinakay ko sa padre Faura, ha. At bumaba ako kaagad.
Pero bilib naman ako sa mga tri-sikad drivers na yun. Parang nagpapa-tintero sa traffic. Kawawa lang talaga dahil kabag nabunggo, walang kalaban-laban.
“apat na katulong Intsik na manggagaling sa Peking”
grabe ka naman artsee, pati ba naman mga kapwa mo ay nilalako mong katulong?
Ibang-iba ito sa kababasa ko lang na talumpati ni Hu Yintaw sa China-Africa summit?
■ heroic struggle against subjugation
■ cement unity and cooperation among developing countries and contribute to establishing a just and equitable new international political and economic order
deepen political relation of equality and mutual trust
broaden win-win economic cooperation
expand exchange for cultural enrichment
promote balanced and harmonious global development
strengthen cooperation and mutual support in international affairs
mabuti na lang at nakita ko sa speech nya ang “improve the well-being of our peoples and build a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity!” , kung hindi ay “win-win” na naman tayo 😆
Funny how the courts in the Philippines would even entertain the lawsuits filed by the Fatso. Over here, the courts would not be intimidated nor harassed to grant any wife or husband of elected officials here especially regarding articles written by investigative reports who have the duty and even right to dig into stories, gossip or not, especially on those who are becoming infamous/famous for their notoriety, etc. as the Fatso. They would be advised to step down instead if they would not like to be under the scrutiny of those who pay their bills, the taxpayers, and the people they buy (via the newspapers, etc.) to investigate and write about the things they want to hear and read. Why can’t the Fatso understand that? Or does he now want to make profits likewise from these lawsuits especially versus 43 journalists? I wonder.
Ang bobo naman ng mga judge sa Pilipinas na hindi alam kung ano ang dapat nilang gawin. Baka mga daya din iyan sa mga national board exam nila a! Talaga naman, unbelievable!
Chabeli,
No need for ignoring the bad couple. What the 43 journalists can do is continue to put these crooks on surveillance, and write about their illegal activities complete with photos, eyewitness testimonies, etc. Kahit pagbaligtarin kasi ang mundo, the truth will remain the same. Iyan ang pirming sinasabi ko sa sarili ko at doon sa mga kriminal na iniimbestigahan sa pulis and I have the opportunity to interpret for them.
Bistado naman kapag hindi totoo kasi the truth can actually never be distorted, altered or tampered with. Iisa lang katotohanan, sabi nga.
Are we seeing a better Supreme Court now? This powerful and influential religious group lost a land dispute case. It’s time to tax the properties of all the church groups. Most of these are even landgrabbers!
High court rules against INC in QC land case
The Supreme Court (SC) has turned down a suit filed by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) questioning a lower court order in a Quezon City land case filed against the religious group by supposed heirs of the property’s owner.
In a 25-page decision, the high court’s First Division through Associate Justice Romeo Callejo upheld the ruling of the Court of Appeals (CA) against the INC.
The INC took the case to the CA to challenge an order of QC Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Thelma Ponferrada declining to dismiss the land case filed against the group.
The influential church claimed before the lower court the suit filed by the heirs of the late Enrique Santos who died in 1970 was defective, citing technicalities.
Magistrates Artemio Panganiban, Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez and Minita Chico-Nazario concurred in the ruling against INC and upheld the lower court’s ruling to allow the suit to proceed.
The case started on Oct. 24, 2001 when Alicia, Alfredo, Roberto, Enrique and Susan, all surnamed Santos and Sonia Santos-Wallin, represented by Enrique Santos, filed a complaint for quieting of title Quezon City RTC against the INC.
The parties’ ancestor, a certain Enrique Santos, was the owner of a 936 square-meter parcel of land located in Tandang Sora, Quezon City.
He had been in possession of the owner’s duplicate of the title and had been in continuous, open, adverse and peaceful possession of the property until he died on Feb. 9, 1970 and was survived by his wife, Alicia Santos and his children.
After his death, the heirs took over the property. When the Office of the Register of Deeds of Quezon City was burned on June 11, 1988, however, the original copy of the title was burned as well. The Register of Deeds had the title reconstituted based on the owner’s duplicate.
Sometime in February 1996, the Santoses learned the INC was claiming ownership of the property based on a title issued on Sept. 18, 1984 for titles originally in the names of the spouses Marcos and Romana de la Cruz.
The Santoses insisted the INC’s titles was not among the titles issued by the Register of Deeds of Quezon City and even if the Register of Deeds issued the titles, it was contrary to law and that Enrique Santos, during his lifetime, and his heirs, after his death, never encumbered or disposed the property.
In 1996, plaintiffs had the property fenced off but defendants deprived them of the final use and enjoyment of their property and then initiated the case against the INC.
The church, for its part, insisted the suit was defective since it was unverified and had been filed beyond the allowed time. Turning down the INC’s claim, the lower court upheld the authority of the heirs to sue, prompting the INC to elevate the case to the CA and subsequently to the SC.
Upholding the lower court’s ruling, the SC said “since respondents (Santoses) were in actual or physical possession of the property when they filed their complaint against petitioner (INC) on Oct. 24, 2001, the prescriptive period for the reinvindicatory action had not even commenced to run, even if petitioner (INC) was able to secure TCT No. 321744 over the property in 1984.”
The SC said the reason is, under the law, “one who is in actual possession of a piece of land claiming to be the owner thereof may wait until his possession is disturbed or his title is attacked before taking steps to vindicate his right.”
“The reason for the rule being that his undisturbed possession gives him a continuing right to seek the aid of a court of equity to ascertain and determine the nature of the adverse claim of a third party and its effect on his own title which right can be claimed only by one who is in possession,” the SC said.
basta ang alam ko, ang mga baboy nararapat lamang sa kulungan ng mga baboy para makasalamuha araw araw ay katulad nilang baboy! oink! oink! oink!
Here’s the emoticon for baboy and monkey for the occupants of the palace by the murky river, :O) :(|) :-$
Ooops, the emoticons did not come out right. Baboy is this :O)
Ate Ellen, sa nipis at liit ng katawan mo baka matapon ka ng malayo kapag nabangga ang sinasakyan mong tricyle. Kung bakit naman ayaw mong tanggapin ang alok kong dalawang sasakyan na SUV. Sagot ko naman ang gasolina pati driver.
artsee, natatakot si ellen, baka siya makarnap at iyong dalawa mong SUV ay makidnap.
Babagabagin ang mga gumagawa ng mga batas ng kasamaan,
pagdudusahin ang mga nagpapalabas ng mga batas ng pang-aapi.
Kasawian sa mga nang-aagaw sa mga pobre ng kanilang karapatan,
Kapahamakan sa mga nagkakait ng katarungan sa mga nangangailangan!
Pagdadalamhati sa mga nang-aapi ng mga balo na kanilang ninanakawan,
Ipaglulupig sila sa ang mga ulilang kanilang pinagsasamantalahan.
Ano ang inyong gagawin sa araw ng kaparusahan,
kapag dumating na ang kapahamakan?
Kanino kayo hihingi ng tulong,
kanino mapupunta ang inyong yaman?
Naka-aklas na ang Tabak ng Katarungan ng Paghuhukom sa Kataastaasan
Naka-amba na rin ang Baras na babasag sa mga banga ng kasamaan at kalupitan
Ibabaksak, gigibain, wawasakin at dudurugin ang lahat ng kasamaam,
Kalupitan, karahasan at kasalanan.
Maglalaho ang mga kawalang-katarungan at kasamaan sa araw ng paghuhukom:
dahil sa kawalang-katarungang ginawa upang makamkam ang kayamanan;
dahil sa panglilinglang sa sahod ng mga manggagawa;
dahil sa tusong paggamit para sa kasiyahan at pagmamarangya;
dahil sa paghatol nila ng kamatayan sa mga taong walang-laban;
Dahil sa lubos lubosang kasamaan at kahingdikhindik na kasalanan.
Nagaganap na naman ngayon kung ano ang naganap nang dating kapanahunan
Utang ng mga nabubuhay sa kasaganaan ang kanilang pananagana sa milyong taong naghihikahos sa ating bayan. Taun-taon, ang pagtatanggol sa kanilang pribilehiyo ay nagbubunga ng walang-katarungang kamatayan ng angaw-angaw na tao, sa pamamagitan ng gutom, panunupil at digmaan.
Sino ang dapat managot sa gayong kalagayan, kung sa maraming mga bansa, ang nagsisikap na maturuan at mapagkaisa ang mga kapwa magsasaka at manggagawa, ay binabantaang aalisan ng hanapbuhay o papatayin, samantalang ang iba ay nananatili sa kamangmangan at kagutuman?
KAIROUS KAI KROUNOUS
Ang pag-uulayaw ninyo sa mundong kayamanan
At ang pagka-uhaw sa mga sariling karangyaan
Ay umuudyok ng paghimagsik di lamang sa tao
Kungdi pati na rin sa atin Panginoon Diyos
Dahil wasak na wasak na ang mga kabuhayan
sa walang-tigil na kasamaan at karahasan
Pinangungunahan pa ng mga watak-watak na Pinuno
Pahiwatig na isang bulok at sawing pamahalaan.
Kung ang paninindigan sa Diyos ay tapat
Dapat wasto rin ang pakikitungo sa kapwa natin
Kahit limpak limpak na salapi ang pumapasok sa Bayan
Naghihikaos pa rin ang atin sanbayanan
Dahil puno ito ng katiwalian at kasamaan
Ang bulsa ng ating kasaganahan ay BUTAS
And Banga ng ating katiwasayan ay may BASAG
Ang bangka ng ating kaunlaran ay PALUBOG na
Pero may PAG-ASA pa rin. Dahil bawat sulok ng atin bansa
Mula silangan hanggang kanluran, sa timog hanggang hilaga
May puso’t budhi inaagusan ng awa’t pagmamahal ng Diyos
Sila itong mga nagbibigay buhay at pag-asa sa taong-bayan
Sila ang Gawad Kalinga, Kapamilya, Caritas, KBF, Magandang Gabi Bayan,
Patrol ng Bayan, Couples for Christ, Abs-Cbn Volunteers,
Bantay-Bata, Abs-Cbn Foundation, OFW, E-Such, GMA-foundation,
Mga tao sa pamahalaan na tapat sa tungkulin at wagas ang puso
At marami pa silang may mga Dalisay at Marikit na damdamin.
Sino pa ba ang magtutulungan kung ang mga BUWAYA ay ABALA
ABALANG ABALA silang lahat sa PagKAMKAM ng mundong KAYAMANAN
Masdan mo ang mga ahas, ulupong at buwaya na ito
Masaya silang lahat sa batis ng karangyaan at katiwaliaan
Nagaganap na naman ngayon kung ano ang naganap nang dating kapanahunan
Utang ng mga nabubuhay sa kasaganaan ang kanilang pananagana sa milyong taong naghihikahos sa ating bayan. Taun-taon, ang pagtatanggol sa kanilang pribilehiyo ay nagbubunga ng walang-katarungang kamatayan ng angaw-angaw na tao, sa pamamagitan ng gutom, panunupil, paghihikaos at digmaan.
Sino ang dapat managot sa gayong kalagayan, kung sa maraming mga bansa, ang nagsisikap na maturuan at mapagkaisa ang mga kapwa manggagawa at sanbayanan, ay binabantaang aalisan ng hanapbuhay o papatayin, samantalang ang iba ay nananatili sa kamangmangan at kagutuman?
Ang NAGHIHIMAGSIK na KALDERO ng MAYKAPAL ay NAKASALANG na
Upang ibuhos ang matinding at nakakikilabot na sakuna at pighati
Ang BUHAWI ng pagGUNAW at at ang BAGYO ng KAPAHAMAKAN ay PARATING na
Ang IHIP ng HANGIN ay MABAGSIK na MAGHIHIMAGSIK ng KASAWIAN
MABANGIS na YAYANIGIN ang walang-habag at mahalay na SANBAYANAN
MAGBABAHA ng MALAGIM na PIGHATI at LALAGANAP ang MATINDING PAGHIHIRAP
WAWASAKIN ang BANGA ng KATIWALIAN, KALASWAAN, KARANGYAAN at ng KASAMAAN
LULUSAWIN ang KANDILANG KATAPANGAN ng DAKILANG APOY ng KAPARUSAHA
MAPAPALAD ang mga KALOOBANG TUNAY na tapat sa DIYOS at sa kapwa
Ang SILAB ng MAYKAPAL ay MAGBIBIGAY muli ng PAG_ASA sa BUHAY nila
MAPAPALAD ang may WAGAS, DALISAY at GININGTUAN PUSO at BUDHI.
Ang SILAB NIYA ay AAPAW at AAGOS ang BIYAYA sa DALAMPASIGAN nila
NAGHIHINTAY Sa mga SUWAIL at LABAG sa Banal na BATAS
Ang Balaraw ng paghihiganti ng KATARUNGAN at KATOTOHANAN
Ang Umaapoy na Tabak ng Pagwawakas sa Katiwalian at Karangyaan.
MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS
PADATING NA ANG ARAW NG ATING PAG_BUBUNYI
BUBUHOS at AAGOS ang kapayapaan, katiwasayan, at kasaganaan.
KAIROUS KAI KROUNOUS