VERA Files has created a page on the Corona Trial. I encourage you to visit it. We will try to help readers understand the proceedings…
Making life worth living.
Year: 2012
This is so beautiful!
By Amer R. Amor, VERA Files
When world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell played at the Washington DC Metro Station in 2007 as part of The Washington Post’s social experiment on how people perceive and appreciate art and beauty, very few noticed and applauded. But when a 63-year-old man played the piano at the LRT 2 Cubao Station on Jan. 12, Filipino commuters stopped, paid attention, took videos, applauded, and at some point, swayed and sang along with his music.
Perhaps as a testament to British award-winning author Neil Gaiman’s tweet on Friday that it is indeed more fun in the Philippines since Filipinos applaud loudly, at least 300 commuters alternately took delight in the impromptu “concert” of pianist performer Vidalito Infante in a music retail stall at the Cubao Station from 4 to 6 p.m.
Hindi nga naman masyadong malayo ang mukha. Maayos ang trabaho ni Vicki Belo.
Nag-uusap kami ng aking mga kaibigan tungkol sa report kung paano pinaganda ni Belo si Jinkee at naawa kami kay Janet.
Di ba ibang-iba na ang mukha ni Jinkee. Sexy at glamorosa. Kailangan daw gawin ito ni Jinkee dahil malikot daw ang mata ng boxing champ sa mga sexy na artista na nakakasalamuha sa showbusiness. Di ba showbiz na rin si Pacquiao?
Sabi ni Jinkee dati, ng tanungin siya tungkol sa mga balita sa mga babaeng nauugnay sa asawa niya, “Ayaw kong magalit. Magpaganda na lang ako.”
At sa tulong ni Belo, talaga namang gumanda.
Roque & Butuyan Law Offices
I finally had time to sit down and write the percolating thoughts in my mind as I read and watch the impeachment drama. This debate has brought our nation at a crossroads. Which of the two roads should our nation take? The road to impeachment or the road where every person you meet is karaoke-singing the song “Let It Be.” The decision and direction our nation takes hold huge potentials in transforming our society for better or for worse.
Some of our fellow Justices in the 90 million-member Sovereign Court of Public Opinion raise the alarm that the impeachment of the Chief Justice will destroy the essence of the Supreme Court as the sole institution that can decide constitutional issues. This is pointed out because the impeachment complaint accuses the Chief Justice of liability on constitutional issues that were decided by the Supreme Court as a collegial body.
Tama siguro ang sinabi ni Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle na para maintindihan, kailangan magiging ‘devotee’ ka ng Nazareno.
Ang prosisyun kahapon ay ang pinakamahaba sa buong kasaysayan ng Itim na Nazareno sa Quiapo. Biruin mo, nagsimula ng mga alas-otso ng umaga ng Lunes, Enero 9 sa Luneta pagkatapos ng misa at dumating sa Quiapo church alas-sais ng umaga ng Enero 10.
Maigsi lang ang distansya na yan. Kung lalakarin mo yan (palagi naming nilalakad ang ruta nay an nang nagra-rali kami ng panahon ni Marcos), hindi ka siguro aabutin ng isang oras.
Mga walong milyon daw ang dumalo sa prosesyun at katulad ng nangyari taon-taon, marami na naman ang nasaktan.
Ito ay sa gitna ng babala ni Pangulong Aquino mismo na may banta ang mga terorista na maghasik ng lagim habang hagang nagpu-prosisyun. Mabuti naman at walang nangyari. Alerto ang buong kapulisan at mga sangay ng gobyerno na may kinalaman sa seguridad.
In his speech at a forum held at the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance, Diliman last week, Trillanes said, “… the over-arching policy issue in this whole impeachment episode is, whether the conviction or acquittal of Chief Justice Renato Corona would be good for our country.”
Unlike other senators who give hypocritical statements that they will decide solely on evidence presented, Trillanes said, “ My verdict should not be based solely on evidence as it (the impeachment trial)now becomes a matter of public policy.”
But it doesn’t mean, he said, that he will ignore the evidence that will be presented by the prosecution.
Nagsu-surf ako sa internet kagabi para sa pinakahuling balita tungkol sa landslide sa Compostela Valley at napansin ko na ang balita ay nasa bandang ibaba na sa mga websites ng mga diyaryo, TV stations at Facebook at ang nasa itaas ay ang bagong ad slogan ng Department of Tourism na “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”
Hindi yata ‘fun’ ang ganun.
Ayun sa balita, 27 na ang patay sa Compostela Valley at marami ang sugatan. Malungkot itong trahedya lalo na malaki na naman ang kagagawan ng tao.
Mayaman kasi sa ginto ang Compostela Valley kaya namimina doon. Siyempre, binungkal mo ang bundok. Sinira mo na ang pundasyun nun. Kaya kapag lumambot ang lupa dahil sa ulan, mangyayari talaga ang landslide. Lumalaban na ang kalikasan.
Secretary, National Anti-Poverty Commission
The language of the Corona impeachment is, of necessity, legal. The senators who sit in judgment will do their best to couch their opinions in legalese. Media commentators will try to catch up. But everyone knows that, in the end, it’s all about power and politics.
Law and the judicial system just happen to be the battlefield in this instance. The Corona impeachment is the single most important exercise of presidential power by President Aquino in the year and a half he has spent in office thus far.
The Corona impeachment is about Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA). But only in that GMA has been the symbolic lynchpin of opposition to the reforms that the Aquino administration is currently undertaking. The trigger for impeachment was the Corona Supreme Court’s attempt to facilitate GMA’s escape from the clutches of the law. While there is still another case in the Supreme Court which could be used to spring GMA from prison, more likely she will remain there for some time. The battlefield has now shifted to Corona.
In a TV interview, Sen. Francis Escudero said it is the presentation of witnesses and evidence, not public opinion, which should decide the outcome of the impeachment trial of Corona.
Even Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who had earlier asked Corona to inhibit on cases involving Gloria Arroyo, also said that the quality evidence will be the determining factor in his decision.
Una ay yung isinampa ng Akbayan noong 2007. Paglabag din ng Republic Act 3019, ang Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Hindi isinama ng Ombudsman na si Merceditas Gutierrez noon si Arroyo.
Sa kasong isinampa ng bagong Ombudsman, Conchita Carpio-Morales kaugnay ng anomalya tungkol sa NBN/ZTE bago matapos ang 2011 laban kay Arroyo, kasama din si Abalos.
Sabi ni Ombudsman Spokesman Asryman Rafanan ibang bahagi daw R.A. 3019 ang tinumbok ng bagong kaso laban kay Abalos.
Nakakulong si Abalos ngayon kaugnay sa kasong electoral sabotage noong 2007 na eleksyun na isinampa ng Comelec.