Senator Lacson, the Law and the Dacer-Corbito Double Murder Case

In the movies, “fugitives from injustice”(to borrow Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson’s term) would at least spend their time on the lam by trying to dig up the truth in order to prove their innocence and bring forth the arrest of those responsible for their predicament. In this way, even if they defied the law, in the end, they would still come out on the side of justice.

Sen. Lacson however, in his over a year in hiding seemed to have done no such thing. Instead by his own admission, we learn that he simply sulked and honed his culinary skills - and to hell with justice for two murder victims and who knows how many more.

What Senator Lacson had done was to show to everyone not his innocence but his being untouchable – a man above the law who abides by it only when it is to his liking.

The flight of Sen. Lacson is not a benign act of personal defiance. It is replete with serious and even dangerous implications foremost of which is the safety of those who continue to investigate the Dacer Corbito murder case or even those remotely connected with it. The law broken in one way can be broken in other ways to frustrate investigation not just by the suspect but by other parties in interest to the crime as well.

Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima had already raised other implications such as the liabilities of those who abetted the senator’s escape by providing funds, refuge and travel documents to him. Addressing these questions is what the Justice Secretary is expected to do and Sen. Lacson should not take umbrage at her for doing her job.

The senator himself said that there is no bad blood between him and Sec. de Lima. Thus this is all the more reason for him to cooperate with her and help. He can vehemently deny any guilt but like all of us, he should realize and accept that it is not his words but deeds that are being weighed.

Senator Lacson may not really have committed a crime but clearly he has deeply gashed the integrity of the Rule of Law in our country. He owes it to the people to credibly acquit himself in this double murder case.

All photos sourced from Yahoo Image Search

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The Japanese People Will Prevail

I once had the good fortune of traveling to Japan as a participant in a Philippine - Japan Friendship Program and I remember I was very much impressed not only by the country's great natural beauty but also by its culture and people as well.

The Japanese have an enviable sense of community, discipline and order that enabled them to attain a high level of economic progress. I believe that it is these very same traits that will make the Japanese people overcome and prevail over the devastating triple tragedy of an earthquake, tsunami and a nuclear crisis that hit their country.

Like they have done time and again in the face of adversity, I know the Japanese people will prevail.

Ganbatte Kudasai!

Truth. Honor. Proper Duty

What honor is there in a man who has little faith in truth and who could not defend himself with it?

Certainly, serious and grave accusations were thrown at former AFP Chief Angelo Reyes in relation to the Gen. Carlos Garcia Plunder Case. But all he had to do was answer his accusers honestly and expose their lies where he found them. Instead he cried persecution and put a hole through his heart.

The fallen General had a chance to help liberate our country from the claws of plunder politics and to save the military institution he said he so loved -an institution now tarnished and eroded by heinous corruption allegedly of its own leaders. This he could have done by simply telling what he knew, by coming out clean. Instead, he embraced the code of omerta preferring to bring his secrets to the grave. Only the mafia types - the guilty, the tainted and the opportunists would have been fortified by this.

I respect the grief of the General's family, friends and followers. Since the General died without taint of conviction by our courts, I concede that he deserves the rituals and honors the State accord to the rank that he has attained. But I reject the proposition that there was anything heroic and honorable in his final act

Truth is the only basis of honor and honor is not diminished by mere insults or by breach of rituals and traditions. Thus the recourse to end one's life can not be justified. Unfortunately, the General for reasons known only to him had thought it best to bury the truth with him.

Now all we know is that the General is as dead as the many valiant soldiers who died fighting for the country with inadequate support and equipment, robbed and betrayed by their own leaders. How can we honor these soldiers without first giving them justice? How can we save an institution without first knowing the full extent of its rot?

The day we learn to honor our true heroes is the day we decide to become truly free.

I can not grieve for General Reyes. I grieve for my country.

The Power of Yellow

Musings on the Nature of Filipino People Power...

This is another book in my mind. I am thinking of replacing the Noynoy Prophecy book which I am currently trying to develop with this one.

I think People Power by Filipinos is an energy that has not really been properly understood and tapped to the max....yet. So there is this opportunity to try.

Re General Garcia Plunder Case

How can mere middle level government officials bound to serve the best interest of the people take the law into their own hands and allow a major major plunderer walk away by simply returning a portion of his loot?

I believe these government officials who entered into a hasty and shady plea bargaining deal with General Garcia are conspirators to plunder. They should be prosecuted and punished as such.

To 2011 - Health, Happiness, Wisdom, Wealth!

Am having a hard time thinking of my first post for this year - sooo hard a time that it is already 7 days into the new year.

I have some things in mind but I prefer to begin with something very positive. Will write about the other things maybe later or never.

Earlier I just read a quote attributed to Confucius - the glory of a man is in not having fallen down but in standing up again after falling.

Nice. And I agree strongly and so I am sharing this idea in this blog.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Sa huling araw ng taon

Sa loob ng isang oras, magpapaalam na ang 2010.

Paalam na sa taong maraming pagsubok at mangilan ngilang tagumpay.

Tagayan natin ang taong lilipas at isang tagay ulit sa taong darating.

NP - wip/ para kanino ang NP

Ang Noynoy Prophecies ay sinulat ko hindi para kay Noynoy na ngayon ay pangulo na kundi sa mga taong bumoto sa kanya. Karamihan sa mga taong ito ay nakabuhos ang buong tiwala at pag-asa kay Noynoy.

Isa ako sa mga bumoto kay Noynoy. Kaya lamang, di tulad ng iba, hindi ako masyadong umaasa ng malaking pagbabago.

hindi naman sa wala akong tiwala kay Noynoy, pero iba ang tingin ko sa proseso ng pagbabangon ng bansa. Para sa akin, ang taumbayan talaga ang lumilikha ng pagbabago. hindi nila ito maiaasa lamang na ibibigay sa kanila ng isang tao lang.

hindi dahil ibinoto nila si Noynoy ay maaari na silang maupo na lang at mag antay na lang na ihain na lang sa kanila ang pagbabago na parang umorder sila ng pagkain sa restoran. Kailangan, huwag silang tumigil sa paghahangad at paglalakad na makamtan ito.

Maging ang pagkakahalal nila kay Noynoy ay dapat lang nilang tingnan bilang bahagi ng pagkilos nila na linisin ang pamahalaan. Ngayong nakaluklok na si Noynoy, hindi pa rin dapat tumigil ang mga mamamayan na kumilos at tumulong malinis ang pamahalaan at lipunan.

Gaano man kabusilak ang puso ni Noynoy at gaano man kagusto nyang maglingkod ng maayos, hindi nya kayang gawin ang pagsasa ayos ng pamahalaan ng mag isa.


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Ngayong pangulo na si Noynoy, hindi ko maiwasang magbalik tanaw sa panahon ng pamumuno ng kanyang ina na si President Cory.

Noong 1986, si Pangulong Cory ay matagumpay na napatalsik ang brutal at corrupt na rehimeng Marcos. Nagawa nya ito sa mapayapa at matahimik na paraan at ang buong mundo ay humanga dito.

Ang pangyayaring ito ang nagbigay pag asa sa mga Pilipino. PAg asa na matapos mapalayas ang diktador at ang mga sakim nyang galamay, magbabago na ang buhay sa bansa. Sasagana ang pamumuhay at darating ang pag unlad at pag asenso ng buhay para sa lahat. at magagapi ang kahirapan.

Pero mahigit 20 taon mula ng mangyari ito, bakit narito pa rin tayo. Bakit hikahos pa rin ang karamihan sa mga Piliipino at parang walang nag bago.

Ano ang nangyari?

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Ang pandarambong o plunder ay isang krimen ng pagsasabwatan. hindi ito magagawa ng isang tao lamang. Kailangan nya ng mga galamay at katulong. Kaya nga sa pagkamit ng katarungan laban sa pandarambong, ang paglilinis dito ay dapat malawak at malalim din.

Ang mamamayan ang dapat mag giit nito at sila na rin dapat ang tumulong kay Noynoy na usigin ang mga salarin, hindi lamang ang ulo kundi maging ng mga pumayag na magpakasangkapan sa mandarambong. Ang nagpupuyos lamang na galit ng mamamayan ang makakagawa nito at hindi si Noynoy.

Shiny Happy People

Gusto ko sana makisawsaw sa bruhahang ginawa ng pinapanukalang bagong slogan ng Department of Tourism na Pilipinas kay Ganda.

Para sa akin, mas maganda na sa halip na mga lugar sa Pilipinas ang pagtuunan natin ng pansin, ang ialok natin sa mundo ay ang ating likas na pagkamasayahin. Kaya nga naisip ko na ang bagay na bagay na theme song dito ay ang Shiny Happy People ng REM. Siguro naman, kapag gobyerno ang kumausap sa REM ay papayag silang ipagamit ang kanilang kanta.

Wala akong issue na nakikita sa paggamit ng kantang ito sa halip na Original Pilipino Music kasi ang importante naman ay ang mensahe nito.

Nakikinita ko, napakaganda ng visuals na maaaring magawa kaugnay ng kantang ito. Mga pinoy na nakangiti, mga pinoy na nagsasaya, mga pinoy na nagpipiyesta... basta lahat sila ay nagsasaya at nanghahawa ng kanilang kasayahan.

Sa palagay ko, ang pangako ng pagsasaya ay isang malaking panghila sa mga taong naghahanap na takasan ang kalungkutan at kabagutan sa buhay.

Blue Moon

Kagabi, habang pauwi ako galing sa meeting at inuman, napansin ng aking mga kasamahan na may full moon at ang ganda ng itsura nito. Naisip ko tuloy na kuhanan ito ng litrato. Pag uwi ko, saka ko lang nalaman na ang buwan na hinangaan namin ay isa palang tinatawag na Blue Moon.

Ang blue moon ay di nangangahulugan na nagkulay asul ang buwan. Ang ibig sabihin yata nito ay ang pagbubuo ng dalawang beses ng buwan sa loob ng isang lunar month.