Of CJ Puno fandom

Some quotes from Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s speech last Thursday at a KBP conference.

If I extol the role of media to high heavens, it is because media deserves all the encomiums. The important role of media in establishing a just society is well established.

Truth to tell, in the battle between truth and falsehood, which is critical to the war between democracy and totalitarianism, it is the members of the media who have incurred the greatest number of casualties. The tragedy is that, oftentimes, they die in silence – unsung and unwept.

It is chilling to think that the lives of so many brave souls have been reduced to mere statistics. It is even more painful to know that only one of these cases has seen a court’s conviction.

The problem of extralegal killings and enforced disappearances has become endemic and remains one of the gravest threats to our democratic
society. It is a deplorable reality that mocks the Rule of Law, for it nullifies the mother of all human rights — the right to life, which no man can dilute without due process of law.

Let all beware that the media and the judiciary have the mutual duty to hold high the torch of truth for the people to behold, for it is truth that is the bedrock of democracy; it is truth that is the touchstone of justice; it is truth that sets men free – free from man made chains, free even from their self-made spiritual chains.

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Ang suwabe lang basahin. Trip na trip ko yung last quote, yung ginamit niya yung judiciary and media in one sentence, hehe.
To better appreciate the contextual backdrop through which CJ Puno has fervently exercised the High Tribunal’s capabilities amid all the issue of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, better take a look at Newsbreak’s article on this, written last June by Atty. Theodore Te of the Free Legal Assistance Group.
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Malaya reporter and blogger Tonyo Cruz, who has pitched the suggestion of putting up a CJ Puno fans club, said that Puno just delivered a speech regarding the Writ of Habeas Data. (Thanks Tonyo for the heads up on the link.) Extra Joss should get the chief justice as an endorser.
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Also, please take a look at Sheila Coronel’s article on Marlene Esperat published in CPJ’s publication “Dangerous Assignments” as the recent cover story. You could actually get the soft copy of the publication in CPJ’s website.
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Interesting/odd news. Nograles files a bill for the scrapping of jail terms of our libel law.

While media has been a powerful tool in the deterrence of all forms of abuses, graft and corruption and other irregularities in both the private and public sector, Nograles said the penalty of imprisonment in libel cases discourages many from exposing abusive officials.

That’s all fine and well, except perhaps for the fact that it was Nograles who sent Davao broadcaster Alex Adonis to jail early this year after being convicted for the libel charge Nograles filed. (Adonis by the way, has been so downtrodden he has been contemplating suicide as of late.) Here’s an article I wrote for PJR Reports on Adonis’s most unfortunate plight.

Now what could be Nograles’ motivation for this. If anything, this most certainly could not be for advancing press freedom, on account of course of Adonis, a radio commentator, being behind bars because of Nograles’ doing. I could see no other motivation for Nograles other than 2010. Most especially now that he’s been locked in fisticuffs with rival, but co-administration ally, Rodrigo Duterte, the infamous mayor of Davao city. This bill Nograles filed could only be seen as a ploy to insulate himself, or at least to salvage a buffer, from Duterte’s criticism that Adonis’ suffering is the rep’s handiwork, that Nograles has eroded media practice. After Nograles faced stinging criticism from both local and international groups over the imprisonment of Adonis, and considering his aspirations for 2010, we somehow see the shadow play behind his odd move to file a bill decriminalizing defamation.

Well, whatever. This is an instance where Adam Smith’s invisible hand concept is somehow ascertained.
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For okray of the best kind regarding the inane censorship issue about the NPC mural, required reading is Sir Teodoro’s recent column.
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Now for the really exciting news, Gonzalez is back! (Insert creepy George Estregan hysterics here)
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Let’s take a breather after all of these nonsense through Asobi Seksu’s wonderful video of ‘Walk on Moon.’ Asobi Seksu is a New York-based shoegaze/dreampop band. Vocalist Yuki Chikudate usually incorporates Jap lyrics in some songs (Sa mga may alam ng astig na Jap bands, mapa-indie man o twee o shoegaze o kahit ano, share the love naman, give me recommendations!). Ganda. Nung mga kanta. At ni Yuki, hehe. Btw, Asobi (according to their bio at last.fm) means “play” or “for fun” in Japanese while “sekkusu” means “sexual intercourse.” Ayos ba? hehe,

Pictures

Finally got to fix and update my multiply site. Posted some pictures there of the SEAPA editorial meeting in Bangkok. Went to Bangkok during the Halloween week for the first SEAPA editorial meeting of SEA alerts coordinators. Went there also late last year together with Balladeer Editor Bryant, Preacher Most Passionate Nathan and Stunningly Beautiful Boss Miss Lar.
Only thing I missed from my recent trip was I, Bry and Nate’s nightly drunken escapades and food hunting, where we were treated to a marathon of English polemics and monologues by Bryant.
I also went back to the bookstore I spotted along Khao San which I dearly loved, I bought five books there, and two books at Chatcuchak, all of which only made me 1,500 baht poorer.
And of course, nothing beats listening to the stories of SEA colleagues. It was an experience most intimate, just to say the least.

Farewell dinner

Sana may kasama ako dito para napicturan ako ala Neo sa Matrix

Such strange bedfellows

Carlene Aguilar napagtantong kamag-anak ni Gloc 9

Taena, natatanga pa rin ako sa multiply. Gusto ko magupload ng pichur pero natatanga/natatamad/natatabunan ako ng trabaho. (In English, as per request of Burmese colleague Nai Nai: I’ll upload Bangkok photos very soon )

Anyway, I’ve tried making another blog in wordpress kase medyo nakakabaog na yung hitsura nitong blog na to. Siyempre, di ko rin napanindigan. Hehe. Eto siya, okay na san yung hitsura kaso di pala puwede maglagay ng shoutbox at parang mas nakakatanga yung pagkalikot sa kaniya.

Pucha, nakakauta yung Showbiz Central nung Linggo. Biruin niyong yung mamang nagngangalan na Dennis Trillo, na lamang lang naman ng isang paligo sa inyong abang lingkod, e pinagaawayan ng dalawang babaeng isang batalyong trak ang pinanghakot nung gabing nagsaboy ng kagandahan ang Maykapal. Biruin niyong pinagigitnian si Mr Dennis Trillo (takte sino ba kase yang damuhong yan) ni Ms Carlene Aguilar at ni Ms Cristine Reyes. Love triangle daw kuno, (di ba puwedeng square para sali ako).

Yung eksena e sa taping daw ng All Star K e biglang umentrada si Ms Aguilar at lumapit kay Ms Reyes at binulungan ng kung ano. Di sinabi ni Ms Reyes kung ano yung binulong ni Ms. Aguilar pero ang umiikot na chismis eh eto raw ang kaniyang binulong:

“Hindi ka mahal ni Dennis. Physical lang ang habol niya sayo.”

Mukhang kapani-paniwala naman kasi balibalita naman talagang di pa nakakaget-over tong si Ms Aguilar sa bakulaw na si Trillo. Kaso e parang wala pang dalawang segundo yung duration nung bulong niya kay Ms. Reyes kaya parang ang hirap paniwalaan. Sa totoo lang sinubukan ko sabihin yung phrase na yun sa loob ng dalawang segundo kaya lang talagang nabubulol ako. Sige subukan niyo, tignan niyo kung makakaya niyo. Kaya ako, unless na totoo yung balibalita dati na malayong kamag-anak ni Ms. Aguilar si GLoc-9, alam ko na hindi yun yung binulong niya.

Nung una naisip ko baka “Avade Kedavra,” kase parang napabalita dati na mahilig daw sa Harry Potter si Ms. Aguilar at Ms. Reyes. (Sabi nga kaya raw nila nagustuhan si Ms. este Mr. Trillo ay dahil kamukha daw niya ang bidang si Harry Potter.) Naisip ko to kasi malupit talagang spell ang “Avada Kedavra” (di ba’t isa ito sa tatlong matitinding Unforgivable Curse) kaya’t natural lang na mangilid ang luha ni Ms. Reyes kung sakaling eto nga ang ibulong ni Ms. Aguilar sa kaniya. Kaya lang tanda ko dati tinext ako ni Ms. Aguilar at Ms. Reyes nung araw na binunyag ni JK Rowling na may tikwas nga talaga ang hinliliit ni Dumbledore. Sabi nila ayaw na nila pareho ng Harry Potter simula noon. Kaya out of the equation na ang “Avada Kedavra.”
Naisip ko puwede ring “Ang dami mong kuto lola,” kase nakaupo noon si Ms. Reyes at nakatalikod sa nakatayong si Carlene kaya’t nasa marapat na vantage point si Carlene para makapagconduct ng mabilisang assessment ng anit ni Cristine. Posible kaseng magkakuto si Cristine since kasama siya sa Marimar at nakahalubilo niya si Fulgoso. Kaso parang nung naging Bella Aldama na si Marimar mas nabawasan yung possibility na magkapulgas nga si Fulgoso.
Anyway, ang pinaka-probable theory ko involves food. Mukhang wala kasi sa sarili si Carlene nung mga panahong yun at posibleng hindi lang siya consumed ng pag-ibig sakin este kay mr. Trillo kundi ng pagkagutom din. Parang sobrang nag-iinit siya, kulang na lang itirik niya mga mata at i-humpak niya yung mga pisngi niya puwede na niya maging kamukha si Guingona pagkatapos i-water cannon sa rally. Tingin ko isang salita lang yung binulong ni Carlene kay Cristine:

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Hat tip to Mr. Norman Mailer who just passed away last Sat, Nov. 10. I’ve first encountered him when I bought “Cannibals and Christians” nung college. Di ko masyado na-appreciate kasi parang sobrang writer-eccentric nung mga essays at metaphysical nung mga propositions. Parang masyadong cocky yung impression ko sa kaniya noon, parang yung mga maaastang creative writer na kapwa creative writer lang nakakaintindi nung gawa, hehe. Later on ko lang nadigest mga pinagsasabi niya. Malalim pala talaga. May natandaan akong passage dun sa “Cannibals and Christians” kung san napakita niyang talagang seryoso siya sa pagsusulat. Nakalimutan ko na yung eksakto pero basta yung point e trip niyang makapagsulat at every possible mood na mayroon siya, pagod, eksayted, takot, gutom, inaantok, etc etc. Basta parang ang ganda nung pagkakasabi niya eh. Unfortunately nakalimutan ko na yung exact quote, hehe. Sa kaniya ko rin nadiskubre ang nobel ni William Borroughs na Naked Lunch na sobrang sagad sa kabastusan at kawirduhan, sobrang praning.
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Speaking of mga praning na writers, nabasa ko pala yung bagong libro ni Norman Wilwayco na Responde. Malupit pa rin, bastos at nakakatawa, kuhang kuha pa rin niya yung perspektibo mula sa sa ilalim, tagos pa rin at lumulundag sa papel yung mga tauhan sa mga storya. Pero mas trip ko pa rin yung Mondomanila. Mas may sipa sa akin yun nung nabasa ko. Hindi ko na talaga malilimutan si Tony, yung main character, at ang kakupalan niya.

Anak ng tiyanak, nakita ko muna sa Datelines yung Responde ng 200. Siyempre natuwa ako, binili ko. Takte, paglabas ko ng Datelines, nakita ko sa tiyange dun sa Cubao X sa tapat lang halos ng Datelines putek, pinagbebenta, 150 lang! Sayang ang sinkuwenta ko. Actually, sinubukan ko pang bawiin yung pera ko sa datelines. Sinabi ko kay ate tindera na naubusan ako ng pera kasi pinang-inom namin ng mga kasama kong kaibigan sa mogwai, at kung puwede ba mabawi yung 200 ko kasi wala na ako pera pauwi sa bahay, (takte, yun talaga ang pathetic.) Pero subok lang naman, malay niyo, singkuwenta rin yun, isang singkuwenta pa ulit at quarter pounder na yun sa Mc Do. Kaso di umubra eh, bawal daw yun, wehehehe. Semplang yung retrieval operation ko.