ellen tordesillas – Page 23 – Making life worth living.

Sereno ouster jolts a complacent public

Published by Ellen on May 13, 2018

Democracy in the Philippines did not die last Friday.

It was beaten up and trampled upon by President Rodrigo Duterte through his Solicitor General Jose Calida and executed by the eight justices of the Supreme Court (remember the names: Noel Tijam, Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Samuel Martires, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta and Francis Jardeleza) but we deeply value democratic values we will not let them kill it just like that.

What happened last Friday when the eight justices blatantly violated the Constitution they were sworn to uphold and ousted Supreme Court Justice Lourdes Sereno, whom Duterte publicly tagged as “enemy’” last April and declared that she be “out of the Supreme Court” was not a surprise but it was still traumatic.

Benham Rise trip: Duterte’s latest comedy act

Published by Ellen on April 30, 2018

China builds a monument on Kagitingan Reef that the Philippines claims as part of its territory in South China Sea and President Duterte announces he will sail to Benham Rise, an underwater plateau east of Luzon that has been declared part of the country’s extended continental shelf, to show the world that he will die for a land mass that is not even part of Philippine territory.

In his speech before the Free Masons at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City April 26, Duterte again justified his selling out to China based on mistaken assumptions.

Pres. Duterte shares a light moment with his special assistant Bong Go,House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on the sidelines of the 102nd Annual Communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Free and Accepted Mason in the Philippines at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City, April 26, 2018.Malacañang photo by Joey Dalumpines.

A lawyer-blogger’s view on the quo warranto petition vs Sereno

Published by Ellen on April 22, 2018

A lawyer-friend who goes by the name of “saxnviolins” in my blog sent me a helpful brief on the petition for quo warranto filed before the Supreme Court by Solicitor General Jose Calida to oust Chief Justice Maria Lourdes A. Sereno.

Saxnviolins said had he been invited to be amicus curiae (friend of the Court) on quo warranto petition, he would have submitted the following opinion:

Duterte’s threat helps ICC build case against him

Published by Ellen on April 17, 2018

Pres. Duterte threatens to arrest ICC prosecutor Bensouda in his speech at the Davao International Airport upon his arrival from China April 16. Malacañang photo by Arman Baylon.

President Duterte’s incessant rants against Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of the International Criminal Court betray how deeply the communication submitted by lawyer Jude Sabio, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo Partylist) has stung him.

He has reasons to worry about the ICC examination which Bensouda announced last February.

His situation now is like a person having stepped on a quicksand. He is panicking. The more he moves to get out, the deeper he gets stuck.

Last Friday, upon his arrival from Hongkong and Boao, China, he resumed his tirade against Bensouda without being asked about her nor about the ICC. The question was about Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

VERA Files to help fight spread of fake news in Facebook

Published by Ellen on April 13, 2018

Facebook Thursday announced the launch its third-party fact-checking program in the Philippines with VERA Files and Rappler.

(Disclosure: I’m a trustee and writer of VERA Files, a group that takes a a deeper look into current Philippine issues.)

As the Facebook announcement stated, the third-party fact-checking program is aimed at helping combat false news from spreading on Facebook.

“These partners have been certified through a non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network and will review news stories on Facebook, check their facts, and rate their accuracy.

Duterte’s answer to questions on Boracay

Published by Ellen on April 13, 2018

Boracay in 2011. Photo by Ellen Tordesillas

The resort owners and workers and residents of Boracay are angry and confused.

The President last week made official his rantings about Boracay and ordered it’s closure for rehabilitation for six months.

In his conference April 9 at the Davao International Airport before he took off for Boao, China, Duterte was asked by Philippine Star’s Edith Regalado what’s his masterplan for the island, with a beach considered one of the best in the world.

His answer: “In the meantime, there is no plan. My order was to clean it up. So mag-clean, sarado, there is one way in and one way out….

Mother of tokhang victim petitions Netflix not to show ‘Amo’

Published by Ellen on April 8, 2018

There’s a petition going around online addressed to Netflix to stop the April 9 showing of the TV series “Amo” about the brutal war against illegal drugs being waged by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Netflix TV series is directed by the multi-awarded Brillante Mendoza and stars Derek Ramsay.

OFW Luzviminda Siapno,mother of Tokhang victim, petitions Netflix not o show Amo. Photo from change.org

The petition is by Luzviminda Siapo, mother of 19-year old Raymart, a person with disability, who was killed by policemen April last year in its indiscrimate operation against illegal drugs.

Here’s Siapo’s letter in Filipino. There’s an English version in the Change.org website: https://www.change.org/p/netflix-netflix-don-t-air-pro-duterte-drugwar-series

The most deafening six- minute silence

Published by Ellen on March 27, 2018

I imagine many of us have watched and have been moved by the powerful speech by Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the Feb. 14 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, during the “March for our Lives” gun control protest rally in Washington D.C. last March 24.

Gonzalez’ speech was a heart-rending in its simplicity. Three hundred thirty-four words and silence.

Matobato and the firefly

Published by Ellen on March 25, 2018

Edgar Matobato in the Senate. Photo by Senate PRIB Albert Calvelo

The message of Holy Week, Fr. Fidel Fabile – our parish priest in Moonwalk in Las Piñas, said is hope.

After Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem marked yesterday with our waving of the palms, suffering and grief followed culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Then comes the Resurrection which is celebrated on Easter Sunday.

Fr. Fidel said Holy Week re-assures us that amidst all suffering in life, something beautiful awaits us. That there is something to hope for.

Fr. Fidel’s sermon reminded me of the self-confessed member of the Davao Death Squad Edgar Matobato and the incident with a firefly.

In disarray

Published by Ellen on March 22, 2018

It was Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo the President listened to in the ICC withdrawal decision. Malacanang photo by King Rodriguez.

The statements of Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque and the tweets of Philippine ambassador to the United Nations Teodoro Locsin, Jr related to President Duterte’s decision to withdraw Philippine membership in the International Criminal Court gave the public insights about the disarray in the Malacañang team.

The oblique remarks of the two officials give credence to “don’t-quote-me” info from Malacañang insiders that it was Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo that the President talked with before the 15-page statement that he didn’t even sign was released to the media.

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