Too Fast and Too Prompt

Philippine politics is full of surprises. This is the reason why researchers argue case study method as the best method to understand Filipino political behavior.

In the debates last night for the Impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, the members of the minority have been assailing the articles of impeachment. One of their arguments revolve around the definition of the term "prompt". The law is silent on the exact or measurable definition of "prompt" and as such, the allegations against Gutierrez of failing to act promptly on cases brought before the Ombudsman is improper and is wanting. In the first place, Gutierrez was just a few years in her office.

Tama nga naman. There is no exact definition of prompt in the impeachment parlance so Gutierrez can go scot-free. Di ba? Since there is no definition, we can say na kahit 100 years na umupo si Gutierrez o sinuman sa Ombudsman at wala itong gagawin kundi tumanggap lang ng sahod, ok lang yun. Galing di ba?

In relation to impeachment pa rin, Senator Gregorio Honasan asked on the Impeachment of Gutierrez: Why so fast?

Oo nga, why so fast? Bakit di na lang inantay ang retirement ni Gutierrez bago sinimulan ang impeachment? Di ba alam ng mga kongresista na kulang pa ang ilang buwan na status quo ante order ng Supreme Court? Why so fast? Kung coup d' etat, puwede pa na madalian. Pag-upo ng presidente, stage ka agad ng coup, ok lang yun. Eh ang impeachment, di naman coup yun di ba?

Inday and her right against self-incrimination

Inday has a new hero: Gen. Erlinda Ligot. You heard it correct: GENERAL ERLINDA LIGOT. Kung hindi kasi siya general, bakit siya involved sa isyu ng katiwalian sa AFP?

Anyways, going back to Inday, the super-maid was so surprised to hear that by just saying "I invoke my right against self incrimination", even the honorable Senators can do nothing. So she tried to practice what she learned. One day, her boss asked her to go to the market. While walking, the police, together with a bystander, called her.

Police: Miss, miss!
Inday: Excuse me officer, are you talking to me?
Police: Yes, Ma'am. Are you Erlinda "Inday" Magaspac?
Inday: Excuse me, officer, but I invoke my right against self incrimination.

Nagkatinginan ang police at ang tambay.

Tambay: Meron ba kayong wallet?
Inday: I'm sorry but I invoke my right against self-incrimination.

Nagkatinginan ulit ang police at ang tambay.

Police: Puwede ho ba sagutin niyo naman kami?
Inday: I'm sorry, officer, but I invoke my right against self incrimination.
Police: Ang tinatanong namin wala naman ho sa kaso ninyo. Kayo ho ba si Erlinda "Inday" Magaspac?
Inday: I still invoke my right against self incrimination.

Police sa Tambay: Hindi mo ata makausap ng matino ang taong ito. Sige sa iyo na lang ang wallet. Magkano ba ang laman niyan?
Tambay: Talaga bossing? P15,000 ho laman may kasamang papel ng mga bibilhin sa palengke.

Inday: Waaaaalllleeeeet ko yaaaannnnn!!!!!

Fair Treatment

In a reaction to the likelihood of impeaching Ombudsman Merciditas Gutierrez, Ang Galing Pinoy Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, said in a text message to reporters:

What GMA (former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), needs as does any Filipino citizen, is a fair court wherein the rules of evidence are used in determining innocence or guilt.

Interesting. Now they know what the Filipino citizens want: A fair court wherein the rules of evidence are used in determining innocence or guilt. Mga late bloomers ba sila? Kakagising pa lang? Tanga? O nagmamarunong?

When the Filipino were asking for a fair court where rules of evidence are used, the Arroyo Family denied this opportunity several times. They killed the impeachment proceedings, they issued EO 464, and even PP 1017. Kaya di ngayon maintindihan kung ano talaga ang pagkakaintindi nila sa dapat nilang iniintindi. Ano nga ba talaga, kuya? O ang fair court para sa mga Arroyo ay yung pabor lang sa kanila?

Kung sabagay, ilang beses na nga pala binago ni GMA ang mga definitions sa dictionary. Oh, Orwell, my Orwell! If God had never given birth to you, things would have been different.

From NDCC to NDRRMC: What's in a name?

In Marichu Villanueva's column in the Philippine Star, it was reported that former Senator Loren Legarda had a banter with John Hendra, a United Nations resident coordinator in Vietnam.

Hendra told Legarda that Vietnamese weather authorities consider Manila as their “early warning system” as typhoons that hit the Philippines wreak the same devastation on Vietnam. Taking off from this banter, Legarda remarked that she might as well “export” to Vietnam two landmark laws on climate change that she authored and shepherded approval in the previous 14th Congress to help the Vietnamese people on disaster risk reduction and preparedness.

Legarda particularly refers to the Climate Change Act of 2009 under Republic Act 9729 and RA 10121, the law that reorganized the defunct National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) into the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC).

While it was just a light exchange, and a banter at that, at least di ito tulad ng Twitter exchange in Sec. Ricky Carandang at ex-palace aid Mai Mislang. But it appears that Legarda, who was so proud with the laws she authored, does not understand the real thing. Will a change in a name from NDCC to NDRRMC reduce risks from disasters? If I change my name from Tikboy to Charles, will I become the prince of England?

Siguro medyo gumuwapo ako sa pangalan but my status and my face remains the same.

Sana instead of name-change, face-lift na lang ang ginawa ni Legarda para sa disaster management system dito sa Pilipinas. These could be as follows:

• Medyo mataas na calamity fund hindi lang 5% lalo na sa mga LGUs
• Insurance na hindi gagastahin ang calamity fund para sa mga Christmas bonuses
• Insurance na kung hindi magastos ang calamity fund, magiging seed fund ito for projects that can mitigate risks in the next year
• Mandatory updating of land use plans to contain disaster risk reduction plans
• Regular check-ups or public and private infrastructures to ensure that these will help mitigate disaster-related risks rather than become a liability during disasters.
• Atbp. Marami pang puwedeng gawin. 

Di ba, Miss Loren?

Merci and Math

Tikboy's lawyer finally admitted why he (the lawyer) took up Law: He hates Math and there is lesser numbers crunching activity in Law. Could this also be the reason why Ombudsman Merciditas Gutierrez had some problems in counting?

In an interview, Gutierrez proudly presented figures comparing the conviction rates between her administration, Simeon Marcelo's, and Aniano Desierto's. Based on her claim, she was able to achieve 53.75% conviction rate while Marcelo has 25.26%, and Desierto has 26.49%.

Well, kung dalawa lang ang nai-file na kaso at ang isa ay may judgement na conviction, ibig sabihin, ang conviction rate ay 50%. Pero kung 10 ang kaso na nai-file at 1 lang ang may conviction, that's a clear 10% conviction rate. Ibig sabihin, hindi dapat porsyento o rates ang pagbasehan kundi absolute count. Ilan nga ba talaga ang nai-file at naipanalo niyang kaso?

Eto ang sagot sagot ng Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism:

Gutierrez’s number is an illusory picture of good results, however. A closer review of the 223 cases she steered to conviction shows that almost all – 221 cases to be exact – were filed against just one official, the mayor of Nakar, Quezon province. The two other cases involved a municipal mayor of Iloilo, and a city mayor of Nueva Ecija.
This is where her score turns most sour: by number of actual persons convicted of corruption, the Sandiganbayan database shows that Gutierrez, in four years, has managed to secure the conviction of less than one senior official per year. 
In contrast, her three predecessors scored much better in terms of the number of cases they filed during their terms, and the actual number of persons meted out convictions under their watch – 16, 36, and 62 officials per year on average, respectively, for Marcelo, Desierto, and Vasquez.

Lea Salonga: You Don't Have Any Business Having Sex

An interesting post by Singer/Actress, Lea Salonga:

What right, constitutional or otherwise, does another human being, plus an entire barangay, have to what I practice in the privacy of my bedroom? No one has a say in how my husband and I express ourselves sexually, or what contraceptive measures we decide to employ, or not employ. I detest being told what to do, in general… even more so when it comes to something as personal and as private as this.

 Oo nga naman. Ano ba'ng paki ng iba sa ginagawa ng mag-asawa sa kanilang kuwarto? Maliban na lang siguro kung hindi iyon ang kwarto nila at lalo na kung hindi naman pala talaga sila mag-asawa.

To read Lea Salonga's whole post, click here>>>

Ronald Singson resigns because of Chavit

Self-confessed drug addict, Ronald Singson, already sent his resignation letter to the House of Representatives. Kaso, sabi sa sulat, he is resigning because of his promise to his father, Chavit.

Naalala ko expression ni Doy: HUWAAAATTTT?

Well, we can't blame Ronald. He is his father's son. And his father is the one who voted for him to be Ilocos Sur's representative at hindi mga taong bayan. Si Chavit din ang gumastos sa kanyang kampanya and, definitely, makikinabang sa kanyang pagiging Kongresman.

Kaya Pareng Doy, huwag ka nang mabigla. Si Ronald Singson, hindi siya nagki-claim ng liability sa mga taga-Ilocos Sur kundi sa kanyang ama lang. Si Chavit lang naman kasi ang bumubuo sa Ilocos Sur at ang nag-iisang botante sa kawawang probinsiya.