Too Difficult For You Counsel?

A brewing dictatorship. That was how Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona described our current predicament. The CJ wouldn't know what dictatorship would look like if it landed like a fly on his nose. He didn't see this creep up during the term of former President Gloria Arroyo, when his puppetmaster controlled and abused the powers of all three branches of government. These powers allowedl Arroyo and her minions from Hades to run the country aground. Where was Corona during those dark days when our democracy was under assault? If it wasn't for the vigilance of the Filipino people, we would still be wading in the mud of Gloria's strong republic. Did Mr. Corona do anything to minimize the greed of the plunderers of the previous administration? Or was he their main sentinel? How dare he say now that he will protect democracy.

The Chief Justice had a lot of nerve to claim he did the nation no wrong. Which nation was he talking about? When you use the power of your office to protect and cover-up atrocities of the past, you contribute and participate in the crime. How difficult is this to understand? But the most waggish thing about yesterday's display is the supposed open participation of trial court judges and employees. They claim to understand the situation. Maybe they do (in their own myopic way). So bless all their pointy little heads. With all their legal swagger and arrogance,they completely miss the point in all this. The issue is about making the scoundrels of the past account for their transgressions. And Mr. Corona has proven that he is not up to the task. His actions have been contradictory to what the people expect of him. That is the reason why he should go.

I agree the Supreme Court is a collegial body composed of individuals with independent opinions. But what if a justice's independence is compromised or is deemed questionable? What if that justice blatantly exhibits that he is beholden to the queen of thieves? Doesn't he bring disrepute to the otherwise honorable institution? Like a gangrened limb, he needs to be amputated to preserve the health of the rest of the body. How difficult is that to comprehend your honors?

Roll Up, Roll Up For Truth and Justice!

Five hours! That was all it took a hundred-eighty-eight congressmen to impeach Chief Justice Renato Corona. It wasn't exactly a-blink-of-an-eye thing, but the rapidness of the the whole process has left many including myself dumbfounded. Congressmen have been known to drag it's feet when acting on noble matters. The Articles of Impeachment was transmitted to the Senate early yesterday morning. Very impressive!

Impeachment is a political proceeding. I've always believed that one should tread carefully before invoking it. Several individuals have abused it in the past. I'm glad Congress moved swiftly and beat that clown, Salvador Panelo to the draw. If you can remember, Panelo filed sham impeachment cases against former President Gloria Arroyo in the past. The cases he filed were really meant to shield Arroyo from being impeached. I'm hoping Mr. Panelo's absence becomes more permanent.

The camp associated with Arroyo and Corona reacted with antagonism; and understandably so. The concept of decency is alien to them. After years of getting their way everytime, they find themselves on the receiving end this time around; and rightly so. The same tricks they used in the past to promote their wicked ways are allegedly being used against them now. Karma? Poetic justice? Congress has always been a domicile for the most wretched fiends. A handful who signed the articles were miserable Arroyo buttlickers a few years ago. I still view most of their actions with a lot of skepticism. This recent one, I'll take it as a blessing; hopefully it won't be the last. Righteousness does have it's own infectious effects.

The Truth and Justice Express has left the first station. Anyone who stands in it's way, with the intent of impeding it's progress is roadkill. Three rats have been ran-over so far and hopefully more will follow. All aboard!

Stop The Farce Already!

The drama surrounding the transfer of Rep. Gloria Arroyo from St. Luke's hospital to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center is turning into a big absurdity. Sec. Jesse Robredo and the police should start enforcing their authority. The limited information that is filtering out thru the media paints a sickening picture. Why is the Arroyo camp dictating the terms of her transfer? Why are they allowed to impose on the marshals their preferences? It is disgusting how Arroyo's lawyers are hogging the media and lambasting the government for their indecision. And for once, I think they've got a point.

If the people tasked to secure her think she should be taken to the VMMC by chopper - despite of the weather - they should do so. Mrs. Arroyo is a detainee. She shouldn't have any power to dictate the terms of her detention. The government has already given in to a lot of requests from Mrs. Arroyo's camp. It is beginning to look like she's the one calling the shots; and that is not good. It reeks of special treatment. If the police need a precedent on how to accord all the courtesy a rogue ex-president deserves, they should review the videos of Joseph Estrada's arrest. The police should just bring the paddywagon over, cuff her, and detain her already.

Are We Really Watching This Rubbish?

I'm taking a break from my usual bit of fare and blog about something else. I deliberated for days whether to blog about a local showbiz issue that came-up recently. Since it's not about a silly girl crying over the breakup with her happy boyfriend nor about a video of another silly girl gyrating to a George Michael song, i decided to go ahead.

Local showbiz seems to have a perpetual supply of silly girls. This time it's Rhian Ramos crying because a video of her ex-boyfriend, DJ Mo Twister, came out and went viral. Nothing sleazy about the content, but scandalous just the same. In the badly restored video posted on YouTube, Twister reveals that he and then girlfriend Ramos have decided to terminate her pregnancy by having an abortion. He also placed blame on other people for putting pressure on Ramos. The confession has caused Ms. Ramos much anguish. She went on national television to air her side in an attempt to salvage the situation.

Ramos has already taken legal action against his ex. Thru her lawyer, she applied for a temporary protection order. She is also poised to file charges against Twister for violating RA 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act. Ramos claims that Twister defamed her and has caused damage to her reputation. TV network GMA 7 - Ramos' home network - has also threatened to take Twister to court. The network was mentioned in the video as partly to blame for the actress' actions.

Amid this pandemonium, the questions that need answers are: Did Ramos go overseas to have an abortion? Was the life of an unborn child snuffed for one reason or another? The life of the unborn is protected in the Philippines; and rightly so. Induced abortion is murder under Philippine laws. Abortion is an execution of an innocent and extremely defenseless victim. I'm surprised Ms. Ramos has been silent on this issue. Why haven't they denied the abortion claim? Are they trying to stay away from it? Damage control?

Ms. Rhian Ramos should prove that she is not a baby killer. If she truly values her honor, she should put to sleep any notion that she had an abortion. If Mo Twister did make statements to malign her, sue him for defamation. Spin doctors and brilliant lawyers can twist and evade the truth for some time. But a guilty conscience will carry on long after the headlines fall silent.

Crowning Glory

Was President Noynoy Aquino being rude when he bashed Chief Justice Renato Corona a few days ago? No! There was nothing wrong with what he did and Mr. Corona had it coming. Some of our half-witted kababayans have been saying otherwise. Spin doctors are now trying to twist the issue by portraying the Chief Justice as a victim of verbal abuse. And it is beginning to look like they are gaining some mileage. What the hell? I say, the President should be lauded for having the balls to say what he said. The timing couldn't have been any better. Mr. Corona deserved to hear the message first hand; and he got it.

Have you people forgotten about the shenanigans from our recent past? The NBN-ZTE deal? The fertilizer fund scam? The overpriced Diosdado Macapagal Avenue? Do you still remember Jonas Burgos? What about Jun Lozada? The Morong 43? Executive Privilege? I'm pretty sure these are still fresh in your memories. And do you recall the names Garci, Joc-joc Bolante, Borjer Abalos, and Berdugo Palparan? Do you remember when corruption was the norm and good deeds were punished? Do you remember when investigations on the thievery were whitewashed in favor of the privileged and the truth was suppressed?

With a change in leadership, it is only reasonable that the injustice of the past get rectified. The guilty should be held accountable and put behind bars. This is what the honorable Chief Justice and his lackeys are trying to prevent. Their recent actions reveal an intention to conceal the truth further. Mr. Corona is using his respectable office to make rational what is demented; making the crooked, benevolent. For this, he should reap condemnation and not sympathy; ostracism and not allegiance; punishment and not praise.

President Aquino did not err in his decision to confront the Chief Justice at the summit. There is no such thing as "wrong place and wrong time" in doing the right thing. In the pursuit of truth and justice, anyone who stands in the way with the intent of impeding it is roadkill. There are no grey areas here; only black and white. Mr. Corona was put in his place; and rightly so. Don't let his cool demeanor fool you. He is one cheeky chameleon.

People's Judgement

The Supreme Court statement described the recent barrage of words directed to it by President Noynoy Aquino as disturbing. In just a matter of days, Mr. Aquino scored a brace by spouting out scathing criticisms on Chief Justice Renato Corona. The president recited a litany enumerating the times the high court aced the executive; mainly ones that involved former President Gloria Arroyo. The most recent one was delivered right in front of Mr. Corona himself. The members of the judiciary were obviously upset and even considered walking out of the proceedings. Some observers have described this spat between the two co-equal branches of government as chilling.

For a time that seemed forever, Filipinos had to put up with the perverted menage a trois our government engaged in. It was a period where rogues and lowlifes in the three branches colluded with each other to screw the citizenry. Everyone danced to the same tune. Check and balance did not exist. It was rule of a mob not unlike the infamous Chicago Outfit. Those were bothersome and troubling times. Where was Midas Marquez or his masters amid all the lies and pillage and torment? How did the highest court react to the carnage? What did our esteemed magistrates do to arrest the bacchanalia of impunity? It is no surprise then that they are disturbed by the rebuke they are now getting from all sectors. While the rest of us shivered in the nine-year winter of Mrs. Arroyo's reign, her cabal feasted on steak and drank fine wine. Funny that they should feel the chill now that springtime has arrived.

After the end of Mrs. Arroyo's rule, Chief Justice Corona and his posse were given the benefit of the doubt. The ball was played onto their court. We did not ask for a compliant Supreme Court; one that bends over at the slightest come-on. All we ask is for them to be impartial. We have given the Arroyo-appointed justices enough time to prove they are not beholden to anyone; they have been found wanting. It is only right that they get criticized and castigated. As government officials they owe their lofty positions to the people and not to a scoundrel. The writing is on the wall! The people are ready to pass judgement on the judges.

The Queen's Fool

Rep. Edcel Lagman is at it again. In his latest rant, Lagman urged the government to focus on the economy instead of paritsan vendetta. He tried to imply that former President Gloria Arroyo is blameless in the current economic situation.

I would like to throw the issue back to Mr. Lagman. He should concentrate on the business of representing the 1st district of Albay. His constituents demand it. He should stop wasting his time licking Mrs. Arroyo's infected fanny. It doesn't only make him look bad. It also makes him stink. While Mrs. Arroyo holds court in a posh hospital suite, her fool Lagman is set loose to beguile the nation with putrid farce.

Like the other half-witted members of his lot, Lagman is clearly trying to muddle the issue. The government is not alone in it's quest for justice. The 99% of Filipinos demands it and more. What we have now is hope in it's truest sense. A few years back all we could hope for was that Mrs. Arroyo's motley - yet like-minded - crew would minimize their greed. Until we punish the people behind the lies and pillage and torment of our lost decade (and before that), we as a nation will never progress; economically or otherwise. Corruption (of the mind, body, and soul) and the tolerance of it are the two strongest cases why businesses shy away from the Philippines. Weeding out corruption and punishing the corrupt are the best economic policies at this time.

And what "strong economic foundations" was Lagman refering to? The ones that filled the pockets of Mrs. Arroyo's clique? Or the ones that made the lives of thousands more miserable? Economic policies that further widened the economic divide? The ones that allowed Mrs. Arroyo and her pals to wine and dine in the finest restaurants while majority of Filipinos would be lucky enough to feast on tapsilog? Let them eat cake, she must've said.

Fantasies And Realities

In his 01 December 2011 column on the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Rigoberto Tiglao paints a poignant picture of the legal history of Hacienda Luisitita. But true to his nature as a Gloria Arroyo apologist, Tiglao deftly angles the issue of agrarian reform towards the current plight of his puppet master. In the column, he suggests that vindictiveness is the motive behind the conspiracy to discredit Chief Justice Renato Corona. He also tries to portray Mrs. Arroyo as a martyr being tormented by a vengeful mob.

Mr. Tiglao displays the same shallow mindedness of the people in Mrs. Arroyo's circle. He and his cohorts claim to understand the situation. I don't think they do. After so many years of wild delusions and fantasies, I can understand why they have a daft perception of reality (the nerve of Rep. Edcel Lagman comparing Gloria Arroyo to Aung San Suu Kyi). They are a sorry - at times, hilarious - group of buffoons. Like out-of-tune buskers in the city center, they have no cares of how people perceive them. Mr. Tiglao probably has it worst; being the mouthpiece - for a time - of the previous administration.

Yes, I am vengeful! Yes, I am vindictive! Nine years of teeth-gnashing frustration should justify it. Open your eyes Mr. Tiglao and behold the cesspool your benefactor created. Open your ears and you might hark upon the cries of the mothers and widows of the disappeared. Nine years of lies and pillage and torment warrants justice. The type of justice Chief Justice Corona is not capable of delivering. Yes, Hacienda Luisita is an issue. By all means, give the land to the poor farmers. I don't give a rat's behind if the Cojuancos go dirt poor. I am vindictive! I am vengeful! Arroyo should be hounded with the torment of a million demons. The real Filipinos of the real world demand it! Occupy Supreme Court if the need arises.

Can I Help You With Anything Else?

A Philippines without call centers! Are we ready for a worst-case-situation like this? Have we got the infrastructure to cope with mass unemployment? Quo vadis call center agent? I know this scenario seems incomprehensible, but let me assure you that it is not far-fetched.

In the time of budget surplus, the jobs that Americans didn't want got shipped offshore. Back office work then was generally viewed by many as a dead end, unattractive, stressful, and therefore only transient. This posed a challenge to the companies: How do you retain employees in order to maintain stability and continuity in the back office? The answer was to hire a third party who will ship the jobs elsewhere; preferrably to developing countries like the Philippines. The companies get to save on the operational costs and still maintain a credible yet stable back office.

The BPO sector - particularly call centers - has been providing much-needed employment to Filipinos for more than a decade. In the cities, everybody knows someone who works in a BPO. With the relatively above-average compensation they receive, young, tech-savvy, and socially active Filipnos were given the opportunity to indulge in the hedonism of gadgets, booze, and Starbucks. With the improved purchasing power of so many, other businesses also reaped benefits. Local fastfood chains around corporate offices now operate round-the-clock; only Wendy's did that pre-2003. Even the ambulant cigarette vendors ply their much-needed products 24/7.

The economic situation is very different today. The global economy is still struggling to survive. Bears are prowling the global markets. Sovereign debt clouds both tthe United States and Europe. More importantly, unemployment in the US has remained high at plus 9%. In order for companies to start hiring, they first need to make a profit. They make profits if people are buying their products or services. People need jobs to earn money in order to purchase products or services. It is a vicious cycle. Not a few have been demanding that the jobs offshored during happier times be brought back. Of course the government cannot arbitrarily order companies to comply post-haste. Operating offices overseas has been and still is profitable for these companies and - in a capitalist world - that is the main objective of having a business.

But, what if offshoring becomes unprofitable? Will these companies hold steadfast? I bet not. The US dollar is much weaker now. And what if it gets weaker? The profits get smaller. There is also a proposal to tax companies for jobs shipped overseas. And one more thing, 2012 is an election year in the US. Unemployment has been a thorny issue for President Barack Obama and the Democrats. One way another, they will try to make companies bring home the jobs.

Democracy?

It is a basic tenet in a Democracy that all citizens are treated equally. In an ideal Democracy, what is good for Pedro should also be good for Juan. It is a concept which seems alien to the poeple living in the democratic republic of my lupang hinirang. A commoner accused of defrauding or stealing goes straight to jail and stays there until the entire legal process is consummated; even beyond that at times. A non-commoner spends the whole time wherever.

Which brings me to comment on the plight of the former Philippine President Gloria Arroyo. But first, let me disclose that I'm not a lawyer nor have I had any training in the practice of law. Let me add though that I'm also not stupid. Mrs. Arroyo should be treated fairly and should be accorded the courtesy suited for her status Absolutely! She is accused of conspiring to pervert the results of an election. An election is a feature in a democracy wherein citizens of all classes get to decide who their leaders should be. You screw the election results, and you screw democracy itself. It is a crime so vile, the world's premier democracy didn't have the balls to even discuss the issue.

In this country, a person accused of petty crimes gets to spend at least a 24-hour period behind cold steel bars. What makes Mrs. Arroyo different? Her status? Yes! The crime she is accused of is by no means petty; she is of a different class. So, should she be treated differently? No way! Mrs. Arroyo should be treated fairly and accordingly! I say, jail her now and let's all start having a merry season.

Let Me TryThis Out

A quarter past midnight, 29 November 2011. Finally, I.m getting my feet wet; I've been wanting to do this blogging thing for a long time now.

I'm currently looking at a crossroad. I'm umemployed, have mouths to feed, and going crazy. The timing couldn't have come at a worse time. I'm hoping this will help me vent out most of the encumbrance I can't seem to identify.