There are many arguments against the proposed Right of Reply bill, Senate Bill 2150, all finely articulated, high-minded and most, perfectly valid. Read today’s Inquirer editorial and Amado Doronila’s column for recent and lucid examples.

Opposition against it is snowballing, and senators who previously endorsed the measure, like Chiz Escudero, the Chair of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights and one of the bill’s authors, are flip-flopping. President Arroyo, never one to miss an opportunity to butter up to the media, is saying she is ready to veto the bill.

Everyone seems to be taking the side of traditional media which, predictably, has draped itself in the Constitution. Just to play devil’s advocate, being of a diabolical bent, allow me to argue for the adoption of the a law which allows the Right of Reply. Read the rest of this entry »

A Supreme Court investigating panel has found sufficient evidence pointing to retired Associate Justice Ruben Reyes as the one who leaked the unpromulgated and confidential decision on the citizenship case of Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong. Aside from Reyes, the High Court also found two members of Reyes’ staff liable for the leakage.

In a unanimous decision, the en banc SC then found its former member liable for grave misconduct and fined him P500,000 to be charged to his retirement benefits. The High Court also disqualified Reyes from holding office in any government agency, including government owned or controlled corporations. He also faces disciplinary sanctions as a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philiipines, possibly suspension from the practice of law. Ouch! Read the rest of this entry »

Countless editorials and newpaper columns and whole forests of pulp and barrels of ink have been used in bewailing the lost promise of EDSA. The betrayal was subtle at the start, and began with the very symbol of the peaceful revolt, Cory Aquino. Having been swept into the presidency by people power, she lost no time in restoring the old oligarchic landscape and giving back to her friends, cronies and others of her class the power, wealth and privilege taken away by Marcos.

The aspirational middle class cheered her on, while the masses cautiously looked forward to a more equitable regime. All the rights words were being said and Cory certainly looked the part: heroic, sincere, prayerful and seemingly self-effacing. She made a significant worldwide impression, was met with a standing ovation when she spoke before the U.S. Congress and was Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 1986 (I still have a copy of the issue hidden somewhere). Cory was a global personage at a time before the worldwide web came to dominate the dissemination of information. She was already a symbol of hope and change when Barack Obama was an unknown community organizer in Chicago’s South Side.

This lovefest came to an abrupt end, and Cory revealed her true colors less than a year into office, with the Mendiola massacre. Farmers seeking some form of redress for centuries-old grievances were gunned down when they tried to bring their pleas to Cory. So much for managing expectations. It was all downhill from there. Read the rest of this entry »

“Violence is man re-creating himself.”
- Frantz Fanon

The riot at the U.P. Pre-Valentine’s Day Fair in which 18 were wounded, including a university police force officer who remains in critical condition, has provoked a lot of condemnation of those said to be responsible. A group of youths tried to enter a concert at the UP Sunken Garden during the fair, and became unruly after being refused admission. They literally “crashed” the affair, kicking down the fences surrounding the concert area, which prompted the cancellation of all further activities. Thwarted, they became even more violent and started throwing paving slabs which were then lying along the Academic Oval. Manolo Quezon’s blog pointed me to several interesting posts on the incident, notably that of The Construct and the compelling video in thisiscoy.net.

The perpetrators of the violence, disparagingly denoted as “Jumping Jologs”, apparently resemble what we would have called “punks” during my day. It is a superficial similarity, of course, as true punks are defined by their preference in music rather than their sartorial outlook or social status. Jologs are a different breed altogether. Read the rest of this entry »

Senators Miriam and Joker are yapping about abrogating the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in the face of the apparent US refusal to yield custody of American Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith to Philippine authorities. What did we expect ? The Americans have a lot of room to maneuver and impede efforts to make Smith experience our inimitable penal system. Senator Arroyo pointed out the obvious, that we are “headed for a rough time with the US, which is not ready to give up Smith to Philippine prison authorities.” Hence, the flag-waving and chest-thumping of the two veteran lawmakers. Read the rest of this entry »