Happy New Year!

Well, it's the last post of the year. So, I didn't make it to a hundred posts, but that's okay.

Next year promises to be an interesting one, both on the personal and the national level. For one thing, we'll be welcoming a new addition to the family in April, so that will likely mean a few changes in the house (more than a few!). On the national level, come the new year, the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona will begin, and, once more, Filipinos will be riveted to the trial of one of the most powerful government officials in the Senate.

At any rate, it's the end of another year. Here's hoping that the new year will usher in prosperity for all.

Happy new year to all!

Year-ender: Saying Good-bye

As with every year, life goes on, and, every year, we say good-bye to people dear to us. Wikiepedia, in fact, has a running list of those who have passed on over the course of the year 2011. Scanning it, I can see a number of persons whose passing leaves the world a lot poorer, although in the case of Bin Laden and Jong-Il, their passing leaves the world a little safer than before.

1. Harry Morgan, 96 - while he is best known for his role as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on the hit comedy M*A*S*H, I will always remember him as the voice of Carolinus, the green wizard from the animated movie "Flight of Dragons".
2. Anne McCaffrey, 85 - sci-fi writer, creator of the world of Pern
3. Vaclav Havel, 75 - writer and leader of the Czech Republic
4. Joe Simon, 98 - co-creator of Captain America
5. Eduardo Barreto, 57 - comic book artist
6. Andy Rooney, 92 - "60 Minutes" commentator
7. Steve Jobs, 56 - the public face of Apple and innovator
8. Dennis Ritchie, 70 - creator of the C programming language
9. Randy Savage, 58 - "The Macho Man", wrestler
10. Osama Bin Laden, 54 - terrorist and architect of the 9/11 attacks
11. Michael Gough, 94 - actor. He played Alfred in the Michael Keaton "Batman" movies
12. Dwayne McDuffie, 49 - comic book and cartoon writer
13. Joe Frazier, 67 - boxer
14. Elizabeth Taylor, 79 - actress
15. Kim Jong-Il,  69 (?) - dictator of North Korea
16. Amy Winehouse, 27 - singer and songwriter
17. Gene Colan, 84 - comic book artist
18. Peter Falk, 73 - actor. He played the grandfather narrator in "The Princess Bride"
19, Pete Postlethwaite, 64 - actor
20. Harmon Killebrew - baseball player, and member of the 500-home run club

On the local side,

1. Edith Tiempo, 92 - writer, National Artist
2. Fe del Mundo, 99 - pioneering pediatrician
3. Agapito Lozada, 72 - Olympic swimmer
4. Regalado Maambong, 72 - '86 Constitutional Commission member
5. Alejandro Roces, 86 - statesman and writer
6. Federico Alcuaz, 78 - artist

And, of course, on the very local side, I will miss Manong Nelson Abilong, one of the long-time security guards in the High School.

At the same time, I will also remember the victims of the various tragedies both here and abroad, including those affected by the earthquakes in Japan, as well as the numerous victims of the Philippine typhoons, especially "Pedring" and "Sendong".

Year-ender: Feeding My Mind (Movies)

Normally, in the past, whenever I watched a movie, I was able to write about it in my blog. However, once more due to the lack of time, this wasn't possible going into the close of the year. At the same time, due to family concerns, watching a movie was difficult because either one, it had to be with the kids, or two, my wife and I had to make sure that there was someone who would be with the kids while we watched something more adult-level. Another factor curtailing movie-viewing was the prohibitive prices of theaters nowadays. Gone are the days that going to the movies was a cheap form of entertainment.

These were the movies we were able to watch in the theater going into the end of the year:

1. Captain America: The First Avenger

Part of the summer blockbuster gang, this movie failed to disappoint, and merely whetted our appetite for the upcoming "Avengers" movie. Chris Evans was great as the iconic Captain, and Hugo Weaving basically repeated his Agent Smith persona, albeit with a red skull for a face. Tommy Lee Jones had a witty role as the crotchety commanding officer.

2. Breaking Dawn, Part One

 I got roped into this one as a favor to my wife, so I tried to be game about it. However, the following things are clear: one, each of the major characters (Bella, Edward and Jacob) really only have a limited number of facial expressions; two, the story continues to be blah, with major holes in logic and plot; and three, one of the few bright spots is the fight scene between the vampires and werewolves, although the lack of actual casualties makes me wonder what the body count in the upcoming "Underworld" sequel will be.

3. Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

There are mixed feelings about this almost-live action rendition of Tintin by Steven Spielberg (and produced by Peter Jackson). However, like Jackson's rendition of "The Lord of the Rings", it's likely that this will be the only time we will get to see the intrepid young reporter on the big screen. Two of the scenes caused my youngest daughter to laugh uncontrollably; I won't spoil them for those who have yet to watch the movie.

4. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Brad Bird ("The Incredibles") directed the fourth installment of the "Mission Impossible" series. I didn't realize that the first movie came out in 1996, but, 15 years later, the series hasn't lost its style. Tom Cruise continues to impress in this movie, with great performances from Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner. Ving Rhames makes a cameo in the end.

The Corona Impeachment Case: Opening Salvos

As we make our way towards the year 2012, the political fireworks haven't ended.

Embattled Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona submitted his reply to the eight Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. On initial reading, it's interesting to note the following things:

1. Unlike former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, who was also facing impeachment by pro-Erap congressmen, Corona is not respected by the public, as shown by his negative approval ratings, the lowest for any post-EDSA I sitting Chief Justice. Thus, the "state of bewilderment" that he claims the nation is in only exists in the minds of the pro-Corona and pro-GMA camps. One will also note that there appears to be no public outcry over Corona's impeachment, the same lack of outcry over the arrest of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

2. The snub of President Aquino, while rude and a probable breach of protocol, is consistent with the President's assertion that Corona's appointment as Chief Justice was a midnight appointment by outgoing President Arroyo.

3. Among the anti-Aquino crowd, the common thread being woven is that the impeachment of Corona is in retaliation for the Supreme Court's decision on Hacienda Luisita. Corona's response to the articles includes this insinuation.

4. Corona assails the impeachment complaint as "a partisan orgy, devoid of any mature deliberation and of lawful purpose whatsoever". I wonder what his thoughts on the impeachment complaints against Arroyo (quashed by a "paid" House) would have been.

5. It's interesting how Corona's response attempts to paint himself as a defender of democracy, that the impeachment complaint against him is an "attack on the Constitution itself".

After his opening statements, Corona answers, point by point, each of the articles of impeachment. This is something I'll have to devote some time to study. I'll probably write about each article of impeachment in separate posts

Predictably, the House prosecution panel, through Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, labeled Corona's response as "weak", although the main reason Rep. Quimbo gave was that there was no verification, e.g. Corona's signature on the document.

What I'm not too clear about is the argument of prosecution panel member and Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares that the assertion of Corona that the Supreme Court's decisions are collegial does not matter because each justice is supposed to be independent and impartial. According to Colmenares, despite the collegial decision, a justice can be considered biased towards a party, and therefore be impeached for this bias. So, the prosecution panel plans to treat CJ Corona as an individual justice, which, I guess, is in line with the assertion that only Corona, and not the judiciary as an institution, is to be convicted.

With these opening salvos in place, it looks like it's going to be an interesting impeachment trial, to say the least.

Year-ender: Feeding My Mind (Books)

As people who are familiar with me know, I am a voracious reader, and, this year, I continued to explore the world of books. I’ve written about what I’d read by mid year; below are some of the books I’ve read since then.

1.       Unseen Academicals by Terry Prachett - ****

2.       Chew On This by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson - ****

3.       Waiter Rant by Steve Dublanica - *****

4.       Ghost Story by Jim Butcher - *****

5.       Side Jobs by Jim Butcher - *****

6.       Pacific Rims by Rafe Bartholemew - *****

7.       Amelia Rules, Books 6 and 7 by Jimmy Gownley - *****

8.       The Empire series by Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts - *****

9.       North and South by John Jakes - *****

10.   Love and War by John Jakes - *****

Still a good number of fantasy books are in the mix, although there are more non-fiction books (Chew On This, Waiter Rant and Pacific Rims) included. There are also two historical fiction books, as I managed to read John Jakes’ wonderful narrative about the American Civil War. I’d been hunting down the second book, Love and War, for the longest time, and finally found it in Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street last November. I’d actually had a complete set of the trilogy, but it mysteriously went missing.

I’m currently reading:

1.       Snuff by Terry Prachett – the newest Prachett book is disappointing so far, since the writing style is so different from Prachett’s previous books. Still, I’m slogging through it, in the hopes that it’ll get better.

2.       Underground  by Haruki Murakami – Murakami’s collected account of the sarin gas poisoning in the Tokyo subways in March 1995 is a powerful read so far. I wish I could understand Japanese to get the more direct account (The English version is translated by Alfred Birnbaum and Philip Gabriel).

3.       Feet of Clay, and Thief of Time by Terry Prachett – I think I’m reading these two to balance out Snuff.

Next year, I’m planning to reread, for the umpteenth time, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, plus the Silmarillion and the Hobbit, in anticipation of the release of “The Hobbit” in December 2012. Yes, I know. I’m a geek.

And I’m proud of it.

Year-ender: Unwritten Posts

With Christmas Day come and gone, it’s a mad dash to the end of the year, and before we know it, 2012 will be greeting us with the traditional bang of noisemakers and fireworks. As always, many start looking back at the year that was. Year-ender stories can be found in newspapers, and web sites, and I’m no exception. So, for the next few posts I can manage between now and December 31, 2011, I’ll be looking back on the year 2011, and all of the memorable details this year has wrought. 

It’s been a mostly down year as far as blogging goes, as work and family kept me busy enough that collecting my thoughts and jotting them down was a Herculean task; in fact, for the first time, I’m looking at a year with less than a hundred posts. Looking back on the year 2011, there are a number of posts I would’ve liked to have written about, but was unable to do so. Some of the events or issues that I would have liked to have focused on, but didn’t include, in no particular order:

1.       The NBA lockout

Actually, I was prepared to write about this topic; I even managed to do quite a bit of research. Unfortunately, I got overtaken by work, and by the fact that the owners and the players managed to get their act together and come to terms. While the terms aren’t satisfactory for everybody, they’re still substantially better than what a lot of people are getting in the US. If I had written about this issue, I would’ve scored both sides for their greed and insensitivity to economic realities.

2.       The Reproductive Health (RH) Bill

While I have written about this issue in the past, I’ve remained silent on it in recent times since it’s a sensitive issue, and I don’t want to get into trouble writing about my beliefs on the matter. What I do know is that both the pro- and anti- sides of the RH Bill have painted themselves into ideological corners, and no middle ground is possible.

3.       The Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill

I’m disappointed that the President has not prioritized this bill as urgent, to enable transparency in government. However, I realize that no freedom is absolute, and any FOI bill has to have safeguards in order to make sure that the information obtained through it is used responsibly. It’s one of the issues that I have to read up on, though.

4.       Komikon 2011

Last November 19, 2011, the second Komikon for the year was held in Pasig, and it was a heavily attended event. I wasn’t able to write about my experiences that day due to lack of time, but since Komikon’s not really a time-specific event, maybe I can still write about it in the near future (assuming I can still remember everything that happened that day.).

5.       Re-consecration of the High School Chapel

The Ateneo de Manila High School Chapel underwent major renovations over the past year, prompting the Jesuits to move the altar out of it. When the Chapel was ready to be used again, the very first Mass held there included the re-consecration of the altar, an event that I don’t think many of us have the chance to attend. It was an indelible point of High School history, and, I don’t know about the rest of the community, but I was very glad to have been there.

6.       Ani Mo, Ani Ko, Alay ng Ateneo 2011 (AMAKANA 2011)

Every other year, the High School holds Ani Mo, Ani Ko, which is a celebration of the myriad talents of the students, as well as some of the teachers. It is a two-day event, with one day marked for literary, artistic and musical events, and the other for the Fun Run and Fun Laro events. After all was said and done, everybody who was involved in the event was tired but fulfilled and happy nonetheless, as the whole event was an explosion of talent and camaraderie.

7.       The rise of the Azkals

I’m not much of a football fan, but I am amazed how the Azkals snared the hearts of the Filipinos and raised the sport of football (soccer) to a level of obsession in Filipinos approaching that of basketball and boxing.

8.       The Southeast Asian (SEA) Games debacle

Another victim of time lack, my thoughts on the SEA Games debacle, wherein we finished with one of the lowest gold medal totals our country has garnered in the years competing, would have been that of anger towards the politicization of our athletic program, and the lack of a true grassroots sports development program.

9.       Writing about opinion columnists

Reading the newspapers on a daily basis, I’ve come to identify some of the various biases and foci that opinion columnists have in their writing. Some are extremely skewed in their writing; few are truly objective and clear in their analysis of issues. This is actually a topic I’ve been playing around with for the past few years. What I would’ve liked to have done is do a write-up of each of the columnists, and analyze their biases, their focus on particular topics, and so forth. Maybe next year will be the year that I do this.

10.   The Arab Spring

25 years ago, we Filipinos took it upon ourselves to oust an oppressive regime from power. From there, a number of countries, particularly in Eastern Europe, shook off their own chains of oppression, and embraced freedom. This year, a number of countries in the Arab region have experienced similar uprisings. In some countries, such as Egypt and Libya, the ages-old dictators were toppled. In others, such as Syria, the oppression continues, as the leaders use every tool at their disposal to crush the opposition. The situation is still very volatile, and is likely to continue into the next year.

Advanced Greetings

With Christmas just two days away, I'm not sure if I'll manage to post anything by then, so I'd like to take the time to greet all of my readers (the 20 who are following, and the nameless few) an advanced merry Christmas. Thanks for reading my blog; while I write simply to get my thoughts down onto print, it's nice to know that there are people out there who read my posts.

After Christmas, I'm hoping to put up my year-ender posts, to look back on the year that was, and try to sum up how I feel about the coming year. It's been up and down, as far as writing goes this year, and I'm probably not going to reach a hundred posts for the first time in the seven years I've maintained this blog. Ironic, since I titled my blog as "Daily Musings". Still, I'm going to keep slogging on as far as I can, writing about my observations on the world and life, in general.

Merry Christmas, all. :D

P.S. If I do manage to put up any posts in the next two days, yay for me. :D

In the Wake of 'Sendong': Light in the Darkness

In the wake of typhoon 'Sendong', I find myself both saddened and amazed.

I am saddened by the destruction and death wrought by the killer rains. As of this writing, the death toll has now passed the one-thousand mark, and is still likely to rise. People affected by the floods struggle to piece back their lives together. Families are scattered, with many losing someone precious to them. Whole communities have been wiped out by the floods, and questions rise about the wisdom of settling in those areas to begin with. 

Despite all these, it's amazing, and touching, to see that the spirit of the Filipino remains indefatigable. As soon as word came out about the tragedy, people hurriedly mobilized themselves, and relief operations began almost immediately. The spirit of Christmas was strong in the air, as people willingly gave of themselves in order to help those in need.  The stories of generosity are as numerous as of those of tragedy. While the giving will not erase the horrors that people in the affected areas have experienced, at least it will help ease the burden, and maybe help these people rise from the ashes.

It is said that the brightest of lights shines in the darkest of times. I'm glad that our countrymen have risen to the occasion, and have proven this to be true.

Traffic Rant: Rage Against Pollution

When I drive to work along Commonwealth Avenue in the early morning, there's a smoky gray haze blanketing the road. It becomes even more apparent as I approach the Tandang Sora Ave. flyover, as it dirties the morning air. That, of course, is the pollution, much of it coming from the vehicles which ply Commonwealth Ave. everyday.

If our government officials can pry their attention away from the political circus involving the President and the Supreme Court, they will notice that the problem of pollution seems to have worsened over the past few years. This pollution is responsible for many a respiratory or allergenic problem, and endangers the health of Filipinos living in the metropolis, if not the entire country.

Despite this, the officials in charge of motor vehicles and traffic, the LTO, the LTFRB, and the MMDA, as well as local government officials seem oblivious or indifferent to the problem. Everyday, as I make my way to work, it is not uncommon to see buses, jeepneys, and private vehicles spewing black smoke, obscuring one's driving view, and adding to the already suffocating smog that pervades the city. These vehicles often pass by traffic enforcers, both from the MMDA and local government, yet these enforcers do nothing to apprehend these polluting violators.

It used to be, once in a while, the government would come out in force against smoke belchers, the same way the MMDA does now against speeders and motorcyclists along Commonwealth Ave., only to be struck by the malady of ningas kugon, and disappear after a few days. Now, these anti-smoke belching drives are no longer seen.

The proliferation of smoke belchers is strange, considering that, in order to register a vehicle, one has to be able to submit emission test results. It implies that perhaps unscrupulous vehicle owners are taking short cuts in order to bypass the emission tests.

Once more, the crooked road makes itself known. Here's hoping that our government officials would wake up and crack down on these offenders. However, I'm holding my breath in the meantime.

*  *  *

On another note, I'm wondering what has happened to the crackdown on erring buses. After around two or three bus companies' franchises were either suspended or canceled in the wake of the wildcat strike they held last year, the LTO seems to have slacked off on its slapping of sanctions. At the same time, at least along Commonwealth Ave., there's a wealth of violations committed by buses on a daily basis: smoke belching, speeding, letting off passengers in the middle of the road, and so on.

It appears that bus companies, its owners and its drivers, have learned nothing from the past, and are blatantly thumbing their noses at the government. It makes me wonder how much the owners have had to shell out in order to avoid prosecution. I can only wish that the government and the media would pay more attention to issues outside of the political realm, and pay attention to issues that directly affect the public.

The Corona Impeachment Case: Senate Prognostication

The battlefield over the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona has been moved to the Senate, with the transmission of the impeachment complaint by the House. It will be interesting to see how the Senate will decide the matter.

While, technically, the Senators are supposed to judge the impeachment case on its merits, given the evidence presented by both sides, the previous impeachment trial of former President and convicted plunderer Joseph Estrada has shown us that, despite the evidence presented, the Senators are likely to vote based on their political and personal preferences. While it carries the trappings of a judicial case, impeachment, after all, is a political exercise, and evidence will likely be damned in the face of the Senators'  leanings.

It's still early, but I'd like to take a look at the current set of Senators, who will be sitting in the impeachment trial as judges, and see whether we can discern how each will likely vote. When the impeachment trial starts next year, I'm probably going to update the prognostications based on the Senators' actions. Keep in mind that an impeachment conviction requires a two-thirds vote by the Senate, so 16 Senators will have to vote for conviction to remove Justice Corona from office.

The Senator-Judges (Party, if any, in parentheses):

1. Edgardo Angara (LDP) - Sen. Angara was the Executive Secretary of Estrada, and it was his diary which was apparently the basis of his leader's 'constructive resignation'. Still, he has shown himself to be fairly objective, so I'm betting he will likely try to vote according to his conscience. Prediction: neutral, could go either way. 

2. Joker Arroyo (Lakas-Kampi) - Sen. Arroyo has been consistent in his criticism of the Aquino administration, despite the fact that he had previously served as Executive Secretary during the administration of President Aquino's mother, the late President Corazon Aquino. If I'm not mistaken, he has already condemned the impeachment complaint, so it's probably no surprise as to how he will vote. Prediction: no to conviction.

3. Alan Peter Cayetano (Nacionalista) - Sen. Cayetano has been a consistent critic of the Arroyo administration, so it's likely he will vote for conviction. However, being a member of the Nacionalista Party, he is also an ally of Sen. Manuel Villar, who ran against President Aquino in last year's elections. His vote will probably depend on Sen. Villar's position come trial time. Prediction: Likely yes for conviction.

4. Pia Cayetano (Nacionalista) - The sister of Sen. Alan Cayetano, Sen. Pia Cayetano has kept a rather low profile as of late, and, thus, has kept her cards close to her chest. I'm not sure how she will vote on the case, but I'll go out on a limb, and say that she will probably vote according to her conscience. Prediction: Neutral for now.

5. Franklin Drilon (Liberal) - Sen. Drilon is one of President Aquino's allies in the Senate. Enough said. Prediction: Yes for conviction.

6. Jinggoy Estrada (PMP) - Sen. Estrada is a wild card for now, since he is both an enemy of Arroyo, which would make a yes vote likely, and a son of Estrada, who was impeached. I presume his feelings towards Arroyo will probably determine his vote. Prediction: Yes for conviction.

7. Francis Escudero (Independent) - Sen. Escudero is an ally of the President, but, since he is not affiliated with the Liberal Party, he will likely vote according to his conscience. Prediction: Neutral for now.

8. Teofisto Guingona III (Liberal) - Another ally of the President in the Senate, Sen. Guingona will vote along party lines. Prediction: Yes for conviction.

9. Gregorio Honasan II (Independent) - Sen. Honasan isn't really a free-thinker, and will likely vote along the lines of his ally, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. Prediction: Neutral for now.

10. Panfilo Lacson (Independent) - After hiding abroad for more than a year, Sen. Lacson resurfaced after murder charges against him were dropped. Since he was practically welcomed back with open arms by President Aquino, he will likely vote accordingly. Prediction: Yes for conviction.

11. Manuel Lapid (Lakas-Kampi) - A Senator of no strong convictions, Sen. Lapid is one of those Senators who make a case as to why we shouldn't vote for celebrities on their being popular alone. Nominally, he belongs to Arroyo's party, so he will probably vote according to party lines, although I wouldn't put it past him to be 'convinced' to vote for conviction. Prediction: No for now.

12. Loren Legarda (Nacionalista) - The consummate political butterfly, Sen. Legarda has thrown her lot with whichever party she thinks will help her win. Since she is likely to run for a second term in 2013, it is likely that she'll vote with whatever the popular sentiment will be. Prediction: Yes for conviction.

13. Ferdinand Marcos Jr (Nacionalista) - Sen. Marcos has been a staunch critic of the Aquino administration, so it is likely that he will vote accordingly. Prediction: No for conviction.

14. Sergio Osmena III (PDP-Laban) - Despite belonging to the ruling coalition, Sen. Osmena has shown an independent streak in the past, and he is likely to display that streak during the trial. He will probably be objective about the trial, and vote according to his conscience. Prediction: Neutral.


15. Francis Pangilinan (Liberal) - Sen. Pangilinan is a party-mate of President Aquino, and will vote accordingly. Prediction: Yes for conviction.


16. Aquilino Pimentel III (PDP-Laban) - A beneficiary of the Senate Electoral Tribunal, Sen. Pimentel will likely vote with the ruling coalition. Prediction: Yes for conviction.

17. Juan Ponce Enrile (PMP) - The Senate President is the consummate survivor, and will likely vote according to his conscience. Prediction: Neutral.


18. Ralph Recto (Liberal) - Another party-mate of President Aquino, Sen. Recto will vote along party lines. Prediction: Yes for conviction.


19. Ramon Bong Revilla (Lakas-Kampi) - Sen. Revilla belongs to Arroyo's party, and will likely vote along party lines. Prediction: No to conviction.


20. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (PRP) - It's difficult to read with whom Sen. Santiago currently sides. On one hand, she is probably grateful for the support she received in winning a seat on the International Criminal Court. On the other hand, she has shown to be independent and unpredictable. It's anybody's guess how she will vote. Prediction: Neutral.


21. Vicente Sotto III (NPC) - It will be interesting to see whether Sen. Sotto has shed his image as one of the 'balato' twins (along with former Senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta) during the Estrada impeachment. If not, it's likely that he will be 'convinced' to vote accordingly. Prediction: Likely yes for conviction.


22. Antonio Trillanes IV (Independent) - Sen. Trillanes was freed from prison by President Aquino, and 'utang na loob' is a strong cultural Filipino quality. Prediction: Yes for conviction.


23. Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista) - The Nacionalista Party President was a bitter rival of President Aquino during the 2010 elections, although he finished a dismal third in the final tally. It will be interesting to see how he will act during this trial, considering that, as House Speaker, it was he who transmitted the Estrada impeachment to the Senate. Prediction: Neutral.



So, the initial tally is: 11 yes, 4 no, and 8 undecided. It will be those 8 who will determine Justice Corona's fate in the Senate trial.

The Corona Impeachment Case: The Articles of Impeachment

Just for clarity's sake, I'm posting the articles of impeachment against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona (taken from the Bombo Radyo website). It'll also be a handy reference for me for future posts.

SUMMARY OF THE IMPEACHMENT COMPLAINT vs CHIEF JUSTICE CORONA

I.  RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH HIS TRACK RECORD MARKED BY PARTIALITY AND SUBSERVIENCE IN CASES INVOLVING THE ARROYO ADMINISTRATION FROM THE TIME OF HIS APPOINTMENT AS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WHICH CONTINUED TO HIS DUBIOUS APPOINTMENT AS A MIDNIGHT CHIEF JUSTICE AND UP TO THE PRESENT. 

« Midnight Appointments in violation against Sec. 15, Article VII of Constitution

« Arturo de Castro v. Judicial and Bar Council and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, et. al., SC held that the prohibition does not apply to SC but only to executive department and other courts lower than SC.

« Indeed, Newsbreak report showed that he has consistently sided with the (Arroyo) administration in politically-significant cases. Newsbreak further reported when it tracked the voting pattern of Supreme Court justices, Corona lodged a high 78 percent in favor of Arroyo¨

« A table shows that in 10 cases show respondent's voting pattern in cases involving Arroyo government's frontal assaults on constitutional rights prior to his appointment as Chief Justice.

« During his tenure as Chief Justice, Respondent also sided with Arroyo in the following 3 cases such as in (1) Biraogo v. The Philippine Truth Commission of 2010, (2) Bai Omera D. Dianalan-Lucman v. Executive(revoking midnight appointments) and (3) Aquino vs. COMELEC (redefining districts of CamSur)

II. RESPONDENT  COMMITTED  CULPABLE  VIOLATION  OF  THE CONSTITUTION AND/OR BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST WHEN HE FAILED TO DISCLOSE TO THE PUBLIC HIS STATEMENT OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES, AND NET WORTH AS REQUIRED UNDERSEC. 17, ART. XI OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION.

« Respondent failed to disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth as required by the Constitution.

« Some of the properties of Respondent are not included in his declaration of his assets, liabilities, and net worth, in violation of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act.

« Respondent is suspected of having accumulated ill-gotten wealth, acquiring assets of high values and keeping bank accounts with huge deposits (among others, a 300-sq. meter apartment in the Fort in Taguig).

III. RESPONDENT  COMMITTED  CULPABLE  VIOLATIONS  OF  THE CONSTITUTION AND BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST BY FAILING TO MEET AND OBSERVE THE STRINGENT STANDARDS UNDER ART. VIII, SECTION 7 (3) OF THE CONSTITUTION THAT PROVIDES THAT [A] MEMBER OF THE JUDICIARY MUST BE A PERSON OF PROVEN COMPETENCE, INTEGRITY, PROBITY, AND INDEPENDENCE IN ALLOWING THE SUPREME COURT TO ACT ON MERE LETTERS FILED BY A COUNSEL WHICH CAUSED THE ISSUANCE OF FLIP-FLOPPING DECISIONS IN FINAL AND EXECUTORY CASES; IN CREATING AN EXCESSIVE ENTANGLEMENT WITH MRS. ARROYO THROUGH HER APPOINTMENT OF HIS WIFE TO OFFICE; AND IN DISCUSSING WITH LITIGANTS REGARDING CASES PENDING BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT.

« Respondent previously served Arroyo as her chief of staff, spokesman when she was Vice-President, Presidential Chief-of-Staff, Presidential Spokesman, and Acting Executive Secretary.

o Flip-flopping of the Corona Court on FASAP vs. PAL  on a mere letter from Philippine Airlines counsel Atty.  Estelito Mendoza (and also in the flip-flopping case of League of Cities v. COMELEC)

« Respondent compromised his independence when his wife, Cristina Corona, accepted an appointment as on March 23, 2007 from President Arroyo to the Board of the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) in violation of Code of Judicial Conduct

o serious complaints were filed against Mrs. Corona by her fellow board members because of acts of misconduct and negligence. Instead, on acting on the complaint, the complainants were removed and Mrs. Corona promoted as OIC board chair

« Respondent has been reportedly using the judicial fund as his own personal expense account, charging to the Judiciary personal expenditures.

« Respondent Corona discussed with litigants (Lauro Vizconde and Dante Jimenez) regarding the  Vizconde massacre case, which was then pending before the SC and accused fellow Justice Carpio for lobbying for acquittal, in violation of Code of Conduct and Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act

« Respondent Corona irregularly dismissed the Inter-petal Recreational Corporation case under suspicious circumstances.

IV.  RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND/OR COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION WHEN IT BLATANTLY DISREGARDED THE PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS BY ISSUING A STATUS QUO ANTE ORDER AGAINST THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE CASE CONCERNING THE IMPEACHMENT OF THEN OMBUDSMAN MERCEDITAS NAVARRO-GUTIERREZ.

« Respondent railroaded the proceedings in the Guttierez case in order to have a Status Quo Ante Order issued in her favor. 

o Newsbreak showed that most of the justices received the Petition after the deliberations, while three (3) justices (Velasco, Bersamin and Perez) who voted to issue the Status Quo Ante Order received the petition a day after the status quo ante order was granted.

« Its issuance violated the principle of separation of powers since the Supreme Court prevented the House from initiating impeachment proceedings.

V.  RESPONDENT  COMMITTED  CULPABLE  VIOLATIONS  OF THE CONSTITUTION THROUGH WANTON ARBITRARINESS AND PARTIALITY IN CONSISTENTLY DISREGARDING THE PRINCIPLE OF RES JUDICATA AND IN DECIDING IN FAVOR OF GERRY-MANDERING IN THE CASES INVOLVING THE 16 NEWLY-CREATED CITIES, AND THE PROMOTION OF DINAGAT ISLAND INTO A PROVINCE.

« Respondent violated the principle of the immutability of final judgments (flip-flopping) known to have been instigated through personal letters or ex-part ecommunications addressed to the Respondent:

o League of Cities v. COMELEC case involving the creation of 16 new cities,

o Navarro v. Ermita  which involved the promotion of Dinagat Island from municipality to province

o FASAP v. Philippine Airlines, Inc., et al.

VI.  RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST BY ARROGATING UNTO HIMSELF, AND TO A COMMITTEE HE CREATED, THE AUTHORITY AND JURISDICTION TO IMPROPERLY INVESTIGATE AN ALLEGED ERRING MEMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXCULPATING HIM. SUCH AUTHORITY AND JURISDICTION IS PROPERLY REPOSED BY THE CONSTITUTION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VIA IMPEACHMENT. 

« Vinuya vs. Executive Secretary, it was alleged that rampant plagiarism was committed by the ponente, Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo

« It appears that, with a clear intent of exonerating a member of the Supreme Court, Respondent, in violation of the Constitution, formed an Ethics Committee thereby arrogating unto himself, and to a Committee he created, the authority and jurisdiction to investigate an alleged member of the Supreme Court.

VII.  RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH HIS PARTIALITY IN GRANTING A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER (TRO) IN FAVOR OF FORMER PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO AND HER HUSBAND JOSE MIGUEL ARROYO IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE PROSECUTION AND TO FRUSTRATE THE ENDS OF JUSTICE, AND IN DISTORTING THE SUPREME COURT DECISION ON THE EFFECTIVITY OF THE TRO IN VIEW OF A CLEAR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE CONDITIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT'S OWN TRO.

« The Supreme Court, under the Respondent, immediately acted upon the Petition and granted the TRO despite the fact that there are clear inconsistencies in former President Arroyo's petition

« It appears from reports that the ponente to whom the petitions were raffled was an Associate Justice. Under the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court, a TRO can only be considered upon the recommendation of the ponente. In view of certain objections against the grant of the TRO, a holding of a hearing within the short period of five (5) days was recommended. Despite this recommendation, the respondent engineered a majority of 8 votes (as against five dissenters) the immediate grant and issuance of the TRO in favour of former President Arroyo and her husband in blatant violation of their own internal rules.

« Despite the conditions laid by the SC for the issuance of the TRO, Respondent allowed the issuance of the TRO notwithstanding the fact there was noncompliance of an essential pre-condition

o Due to the Arroyos' abject failure to comply with Condition 2, the Supreme Court en banc in its November 18, 2011 deliberations, by a vote of 7 V6, found that there was no compliance with the second condition of the TRO.
 Consequently, for failure to comply with an essential condition for the TRO, the TRO is not effective. However, by a vote of 7-6, the Supreme Court decided there was no need to explicitly state the legal effect on the TRO of the noncompliance by petitioners with Condition Number 2 of the earlier Resolution.

o However, the SC decided that the TRO was effective despite noncompliance with an essential condition of the TRO. It is notable that Respondent did not chastise Marquez for his outrightly false and public misrepresentation. 

Worse, the Respondent did not correct the decision that was issued despite the fact that the decision did not reflect the agreement and decision made by the Supreme Court during their deliberations on November 18, 2011. 

VIII.  RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND/OR COMMITTED GRAFT AND CORRUPTION WHEN HE FAILED AND REFUSED TOACCOUNT FOR THE JUDICIARY DEVELOPMENT FUND (JDF) AND SPECIAL ALLOWANCE FOR THE JUDICIARY (SAJ) COLLECTIONS.

« Respondent has reportedly failed and refused to report on the status of the JDF Funds and the SAJ collections.

« There is likewise the reported failure of Respondent to account for funds released and spent for unfilled positions in the judiciary and from authorized and funded but not created courts.

o In particular, the annual audit report of the Supreme Court of the Philippines contained the observation that unremitted funds to the Bureau of Treasury amounted to P5.38 billion

o the Special allowance for Judiciary along with the General Fund, Judiciary Development Fund in the amount of P559.5 Million were misstated resulting from delayed and/or non-preparation of bank reconciliation statements and non-recording /uncorrected reconciling items.

The Corona Impeachment Case: Two Minds

Regarding the current issue of the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, I am of two minds on the issue.

On one hand, I wouldn't mind if Corona is removed from his position, as his appointment as Chief Justice was clearly a political accommodation, as well as a midnight appointment, by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. His acceptance of the appointment, aided and abetted by fellow Arroyo appointees in the SC, has tainted the credibility of the SC ever since. Other decisions, such as the del Castillo plagiarism case, wherein the SC justices practically redefined what plagiarism was in order to protect one of their own, have strengthened this lack of credibility.

It also didn't help that Justice Corona, faced with impeachment, blasted President Aquino's apparent desire to control the judiciary, and labeled the popular leader as a 'dictator'. As one commenter noted, Justice Corona forgets that President Aquino was popularly elected, while he was merely appointed by Arroyo, his 'patron', and under suspicious circumstances, at that, considering that the other Arroyo appointees (except Justices Nachura and Velasco, who stated that voting on the issue was premature, as well as Corona himself, who inhibited) basically reinterpreted the Constitution in order to defend Arroyo's appointment of Corona.

At the same time, I am very bothered by the heavy-handed tactics employed by the Aquino administration to impeach Justice Corona. It doesn't help that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who appears to be giving former Injustice Secretary Raul Gonzalez a run for his money in terms of arrogance, has been combative towards the Chief Justice and the SC: first, by ignoring a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Court, and, second, by warning the SC that the President aims to reclaim the SC for the people.


It's also troubling that not all of the 188 representatives who signed the impeachment complaint had actually read the complaint, which implies that Arroyo-style tactics of arm-twisting via the pork barrel may have been employed to obtain the signatures.

In addition, Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, Jr., the chairman of the House justice committee, stated that, aside from Justice Corona and SC Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo, two other SC justices will also be impeached.  Thus far, the two justices have not been named.

These statements by de Lima and Tupas hint that the Aquino administration appears to be launching an all-out attack on the judiciary, no matter what presidential spokespersons have stated to the contrary. If this is the case, the Aquino administration is not doing the country a favor by weakening the judiciary arm of government, as this may cause people to resort to vigilante justice in order to seek redress.

By all means, I am for impeaching Justice Corona, but only if due process is followed, and there is sufficient evidence to back up the articles of impeachment. If the Aquino administration is simply going to use the tyranny of numbers to convict Corona, then that would not be justice, merely an arrogant exercise of power.

Typhoon 'Sendong'

Amidst the current political strife, the country was jolted back to reality with the horrific damage and loss of life wrought by typhoon 'Sendong' (International name: Washi). Taking people by surprise in the dead of the night, 'Sendong' roared through Mindanao and parts of Visayas in the middle of the night, and,  in its wake, left a trail of death and devastation not seen since the likes of typhoons 'Ondoy' and 'Pepeng' two years ago.

So far, 650 people lost their lives in the tragedy, hundreds remain missing, and thousands are left homeless and in need of help.

My prayers go out to the people affected by this natural disaster. 

Mea Culpa

With his current tirades against the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Renato Corona and the previous administration, President Aquino would do well to remember the Biblical passage about removing the plank from one’s eye before removing the mote from that of another. 

While I agree with some of his points, such as the apparent ‘midnight appointment’ of Chief Justice Corona by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, aided and abetted by her appointees in the Supreme Court, his lambasting of the Court and its Chief Justice during a public forum, with no less than the Chief Justice sitting in the audience, leaves a sour taste in the mouth. As some have already pointed out, it was crass and tasteless, and unbecoming of a national leader.

It would still have been wrong, but people would probably not have been so turned off by the President’s remarks if his administration had actually accomplished anything noteworthy in uplifting the state of the Filipino people. If the Aquino administration had actually taken more concrete steps in combating corruption beyond the banning of the wang-wang­, it would have the moral high ground from which to castigate the previous administration and its faults.

However, the current administration has committed a number of blunders and missteps that it’s difficult to continue to buy into the belief that it can lighten the country’s burdens.

The Manila hostage tragedy, happening so soon after the President had taken office, continues to haunt this administration by tarring it with the brush of incompetence. The fact that government officials who were responsible for the tragedy were not punished, and, in fact, continue to hold office in this administration shows that the ‘straight road’ that the President espoused at the start of his term is still pretty crooked.

The boycotting of the Nobel Peace Prize awarding ceremony is another blunder by the government. The Prize was to go to a Chinese dissident, which, of course, the Chinese government loudly protested, and called for a boycott. The Philippines was apparently all too glad to comply. The President gave the reason being the apparent fact that the government was negotiating with the Chinese government to release three Filipinos slated to be executed for being drug mules. The Aquino administration basically threw out its principles to save the lives of three Filipinos who had committed heinous crimes, and all it got was a stay of execution, as the three were simply executed at a later date.

The perception that the Aquino administration appears to have no clear road map with which to navigate is yet another black mark against it. Almost one and a half years have passed since President Aquino took office, and there still seems to be no concrete plan for the country’s woes. The government has been perceived to be exerting all its effort to jail Arroyo and attack the Supreme Court that it seems to have forgotten that there is a whole country to run. In author Tom Clancy’s “Executive Orders”, where Clancy’s main hero Jack Ryan has ascended to the Presidency, his chief of staff counsels him against being too focused on just one issue. It is the job of the President to take care of the entire country, and he (or she) cannot be too narrow-focused, or else the country will suffer.

Granted, the Aquino administration’s faults appear to be borne out of incompetence, as compared to the rapacity and corruption that marked the Arroyo administration. However, whether it be incompetence or corruption, the fact is neither will help our country, and President Aquino has to remember that, while going after the corrupt is a noble cause, he has to remember that there’s the rest of the country to worry about as well.

Petulant

President Noynoy Aquino just upped the ante in the game of brinksmanship that he's playing with the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Renato Corona.

In a speech he delivered today during the 1st National Criminal Justice Summit at the Manila Hotel, President Aquino lambasted both the SC and Chief Justice Corona, attacking both the questionable appointment of Corona as Chief Justice, and what he believes is the one-sidedness of the SC, particularly in decisions regarding former President and current Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. President Aquino also bemoaned the perceived obstruction of the SC in his drive for good government, such as the striking down of the Truth Commission.

All of these he delivered, with the Chief Justice in the audience.

I am of the agreement that Corona's appointment was questionable, since it fell under the time of the election ban. It was the Arroyo appointees in the Supreme Court who decided that their patron could appoint the Chief Justice despite the ban. They simply reinterpreted the provisions in the Constitution to make it possible.

However, there is a time and place for everything, and criticizing the Chief Justice in public is a no-no. President Aquino may not respect Corona, but he should still respect the position that Corona holds. By attacking the judiciary, President Aquino weakens the credibility and authority of a co-equal branch of government. If the judiciary arm should collapse, who will people turn to in order to seek redress? Who will determine what the law says and means? It's more than possible that people will take the law into their own hands, creating anarchy and chaos.

President Aquino's actions lack any civility and behavior befitting a President of the Philippines. Reading what he's supposed to have said in his speech, he comes off as a petulant child who didn't get what he wanted. Granted that he's frustrated with the slow and often obstructive wheels of justice, President Aquino could have dealt with the matter in a more mature way, by showing more respect for the members of the judiciary. Instead, by going after the Chief Justice in public, he has given more ammunition for his enemies and has turned off supporters such as myself, who had voted for him in the belief (mistaken?) that he would actually effect changes in our society.