Sa ilang pagkakataon nakapagsulat na ako tungkol sa bagay na ito. Bagamat hindi ako kasapi ng volunteer team na tumulong sa kaso, naging kabahagi nito ang ilan sa pinakamalalapit at pinakamatalik kong kaibigan.

It was long, drawn-out, and often painful process. And if I'm here steaming about it, I can only imagine how it must be for them.

The lawyers I've heard and seen on radio and tv are at a seeming consensus: that her affidavit and "recantation" actually does nothing to the case already in the CA, unless there is a motion for new trial based on newly-discovered evidence. Even that is doubtful, considering that if the victim was lying all this time, shouldn't that have come out in the brutal cross-examination? How can that be considered "newly-discovered evidence"?

Whatever the probative value or legal effect the affidavit may have, it has already had a enormous effect on public perception.

Samu't sari na ang reaksyon ng mga tao. May galit sapagkat pakiramdam nila, pinasakay lamang sila sa isang kasinungalingan. May mga nagsasabing patotoo lamang ito na lahat ng bagay, pati ang dangal, ay nabibili para sa halagang P100,000 at visa patungong Estados Unidos. May nagdududa sa "timing" ng affidavit na ito. Di ba kakatawag lang ni Obama? May nagtataka kung bakit sa opisina mismo ng katungaling abogado pinirmahan at pinatotohanan ang affidavit. May mga pilosopong nagsasabi na ang pinakamadaling paraan daw para makapag-ibang bansa ay ang makipagtalik sa dayuhan at ituro ito ng panggagahasa: may pang "pocket money" ka pa daw. May nagsasabing iyan talaga ang napapala at nararapat sa mga "malalandi".

May nagtatanong, kung sakaling (huwag naman sanang pahintulutan ng Nasa Itaas) maganap ulit ito sa isa pa nating kababayan, may maniniwala pa kaya?

Nakakapanlumo.

Kung mayroon pang naniniwala ka Jocjoc Bolante ngayon, ewan ko na lang.

=====================

Do you seriously expect us to believe that:
1.the Palace had no hand in, or at the very least did not know of, the release of SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT MILLION (typing it in numbers doesn't seem to convey the enormity of the amount) of taxpayer money?
It seems to me that this administration's weapon of choice when it comes to handling scandals is to feign ignorance.
2. as undersecretary for finance, it was not your responsibility to see to it that the intended beneficiaries got the money? Or at the very least asked how the project went through? Or conduct an informal audit?
What a completely cavalier attitude to such an enormous amount of money!
3. you did not deliberately evade testifying in the Senate?You sought political asylum! Or that in the time you spent in the US, not one government official tried to contact you, in this day and age of cellphones and satellite communication and text messaging?

======================

Bagamat may pagka-OA din naman si Madam Miriam sa kanyang reaksyon, talaga namang kukulo ang dugo mo sa mga sagot ni Bolante sa mga tanong. Ano yun, ganun-ganun na lang kung hawakan ang pera ng gobyerno? Ipamimigay mo tapos maghuhugas kamay ka sa anumang responsibilidad sa pangangasiwa nito? At may karapatan akong magalit! Kahit na hindi pa ako nagbabayad ng income tax, tuwing may bilihin naman may VAT. At yung pagod at hirap ng magulang ko, at ang pagod at hirap ng mga mangagawang Pilipino sa loob at labas man ng bansa, sa halip na mapunta sa mga kapakipakinabang na bagay, nawawalang silbi dahil sa pangungurakot!

======================

I do suppose I should have expected the Senate hearing to turn out the way it did. No sense in getting boiled up all over it, because really, what else could you expect?

...was a SURREAL experience.

That the gig started while we were still in the car, frantically, desperately searching for parking space. That we had to walk nearly a kilometer from where we had finally found a patch of rocks and grass to leave the car, all the while straining to hear bits and pieces being carried by the wind. It was like being in the twilight zone.

That there were quite literally tens of thousands inside and outside of the venue; never mind trying to see them onstage, just hearing them play together again, even if it was for one night only, meant everything. There were people in nearby Serendra listening from the fire escape! There were mothers and fathers who probably were the same mothers and fathers who chastised you for listening to their first album because it contained profanity. Probably even threw away your copy. There were kids who were in diapers when they started making it big in the early '90s, who have mp3 on ipods of the old songs and listened to their ates and kuyas rave about the amazing gigs they went to. And of course, there were the ates and kuyas, some of whom were in college when the band was starting out and heard them when they weren't quite as big as they are now, on makeshift stages on stone steps; in stinky, dim-lit dives along a certain major highway where you nursed your beer till it became warm. The ates and kuyas who were in high school in the '90s, who followed their every move, collected songhits magazines and ranted about how the chords and lyrics in them were wrong and how that was such a disservice to the music and the band. The ates and kuyas who saw them play at school fairs, who picked up an instrument to play their songs, who scrimped and saved portions of their measly baon (because they had a packed lunch and bus service, what did they need the money for anyway?) so that they could buy cassette tapes which are now old, cracked, and overplayed, eaten by the player one too many times. It was surreal seeing all these people from all the different age brackets listening to a rock band, and most importantly, enjoying themselves.

That they were listening to the band nobody thought would ever play together again. That was surreal.

And most remarkably, that all these people, stood there in silence. I'd dare say that had it been any other band, there would have been rocks thrown, angry complaints for a refund, and a loud, cresting boo from one end of the venue to the other. But no, they stood there in silence, and slowly filed out. The amount of respect they had; the amount of love they have for the band and the music. That was surreal.

The gig people thought would never happen, did happen. The entire thing was one long, song-filled, electrically-charged, technicolored dream.

It was a dream hearing them play together again.

========================

Been daydreaming for two days. Hardly lifted a page. Oh well. Back to work.

Nagpunta kami ni Feliz sa isang CD sale sa Quezon Ave nung nakaraang Sabado. Ang dami rin naming naiskor: 11 CDs, 4 cassettes, all for a little over a Php1000. Di na masama, dahil heto ang mga napulot namin:

1. Coldplay-X&Y Special SouthEast Asian Tour CD+DVD
2. POT-Remastered (Mehn! Yun lang.)
3. Belle and Sebastian-Dear Catastrophic Waitress ("wistful" pop; great for reviewing, hehe.)
4. A Perfect Circle-Emotive (has their Imagine remake)
5. Prodigy-Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005
6. Elbow-Leaders of the Free World
7. Sleater-Kinney-All Hands On The Bad One
8. Papas Fritas-Pop Has Freed Us
9. I Am Kloot-Gods and Monsters
10. Radiohead-Kid A (binibiro mo ba ako? Paano 'to napunta sa mga sale items?!)
11. Stereolab-Fab Four Suture


Plus 2 Paul van Dyk cassettes, a Groove Armada album and (cue applause here) Backstreet's Back [mahilig akong sumayaw. :)]

Hanggang ngayong susunod na weekend na lang, kaya kung trip niyong maka-iskor ng murang mga cd, puntahan nyo. Kailangan lang ng konting tiyaga, parang ukay-ukay. :)

Nakalipat na rin sa wakas sa aking pansamantalang tutuluyan dito sa Vito Cruz/Taft Avenue area, katapat ng Rizal Memorial Coliseum. Dito muna ako maglalagi hangang sa buwan ng Setyembre; magpapaka-ermitanyo muna ako habang nagaaral.

Dizizit! Wala na akong palusot para hindi mag-aral; tahimik ang lugar, mayroon akong lutuan ng pagkain (pero hangang paprito-prito lang muna), may dala akong radyo para makasabay sa balita, paminsan-minsan may wifi (hinala ko nasasagap ng laptop ko yung router ng "kapitbahay"; kadalasang mahina ang signal kaya heto ako ngayon sa isang 24hr net shop sa loob ng building), maliwanag at maaliwalas ang lugar. At kapag titinamad ako o nababagot, maraming kainan/coffee shops sa paligid para doon mag-aral. 

====================

Ngayong meron na lamang 55 54 na araw bago mag Sept 7, medyo ramdam na ang pressure para mag-aral ng husto. But that has never stopped me from having a life, which is why I am anxiously waiting for July 17 (The Dark Knight opening), July 29 (Lifehouse concert sa Araneta; pero ang mahal ng tickets! 990 na ang pinakamura. :p) at higit sa lahat,  August 30 (dahil dito).

====================

I'll miss my bed though.

Mula sa isang Inquirer report:

In a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer from the United States, Nograles said: “The trip of President Gloria was long scheduled. The storm called Frank had no scheduled arrival."

Wow.

Oo nga naman. Dapat siguro tumawag muna si Frank at nagsabing "Oi, dadaan ako sa inyo ngayong Linggo, ok lang?"

Wala naman akong reklamo tungkol sa biyahe ng Pangulo papuntang US. Kung totoo man ang hirit ni Nograles na hindi naman public funds ang ginagastos ng mga kongresista sa kanilang pagpunta sa Amerika. Sumasama lang ang loob ko sa insensitbong pahayag na ito. At isa pa, medyo obvious naman na mga walang balak umuwi yang mga yan sa lalong madaling panahon. Di ba laban ni Pacquiao sa darating na Sabado?

Konting sensitivity naman. Sa panahong tumataas ang halaga ng lahat ng mga basic commodities, sa panahong nasalanta tayo ng isang malaking bagyo at maraming nagugutom, naghihirap at nagluluksa sa pagkawala ng kanilang pagmamay-ari at, higit sa lahat, mga mahal sa buhay, masama bang hilingin natin sa ating mga halal ng pinuno na maging mahinahon sa kanilang paggastos?

Ang nakasulat sa Philippine Proclamation of Independence:

ACT OF PROCLAMATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE
(Acta de la proclamación de la independencia del pueblo Filipino)

In the town of Cavite-Viejo, Province of Cavite, this 12th day of June 1898:

        BEFORE ME, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, War Counsellor and Special Delegate designated to proclaim and solemnize this Declaration of Independence by the Dictatorial Government of the Philippines, pursuant to, and by virtue of, a Decree issued by the Egregious Dictator Don Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy,

        The undersigned assemblage of military chiefs and others of the army who could not attend, as well as the representatives of the various towns,

        Taking into account the fact that the people of this country are already tired of bearing the ominous yoke of Spanish domination,

        Because of arbitrary arrests and abuses of the Civil Guards who cause deaths in connivance with and even under the express orders of their superior officers who at times would order the shooting of those placed under arrest under the pretext that they attempted to escape in violation of known Rules and Regulations, which abuses were left unpunished, and because of unjust deportations of illustrious Filipinos, especially those decreed by General Blanco at the instigation of the Archbishop and the friars interested in keeping them in ignorance for egoistic and selfish ends, which deportations were carried out through processes more execrable than those of the Inquisition which every civilized nation repudiates as a trial without hearing,

        Had resolved to start a revolution in August 1896 in order to regain the independence and sovereignty of which the people had been deprived by Spain through Governor Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who, continuing the course followed by his predecessor Ferdinand Magellan who landed on the shores of Cebu and occupied said Island by means of a Pact of Friendship with Chief Tupas, although he was killed in battle that took place in said shores to which battle he was provoked by Chief Kalipulako of Mactan who suspected his evil designs, landed on the Island of Bohol by entering also into a Blood Compact with its Chief Sikatuna, with the purpose of later taking by force the Island of Cebu, and because his successor Tupas did not allow him to occupy it, he went to Manila, the capital, winning likewise the friendship of its Chiefs Soliman and Lakandula, later taking possession of the city and the whole Archipelago in the name of Spain by virtue of an order of King Philip II, and with these historical precedents and because in international law the prescription established by law to legalize the vicious acquisition of private property is not recognized, the legitimacy of such revolution can not be put in doubt which was calmed but not completely stifled by the pacification proposed by Don Pedro A. Paterno with Don Emilio Aguinaldo as President of the Republic established in Biak-na-Bato and accepted by Governor-General Don Fernando Primo de Rivera under terms, both written and oral, among them being a general amnesty for all deported and convicted persons; that by reason of the non-fulfillment of some of the terms, after the destruction of the Spanish Squadron by the North American Navy, and bombardment of the plaza of Cavite, Don Emilio Aguinaldo returned in order to initiate a new revolution and no sooner had he given the order to rise on the 31st of last month when several towns anticipating the revolution, rose in revolt on the 28th, such that a Spanish contingent of 178 men, between Imus and Cavite-Viejo, under the command of a major of the Marine Infantry capitulated, the revolutionary movement spreading like wild fire to other towns of Cavite and the other provinces of Bataan, Pampanga, Batangas, Bulacan, Laguna, and Morong, some of them with seaports and such was the success of the victory of our arms, truly marvelous and without equal in the history of colonial revolutions that in the first mentioned province only the Detachments in Naic and Indang remained to surrender; in the second, all Detachments had been wiped out; in the third, the resistance of the Spanish forces was localized in the town of San Fernando where the greater part of them are concentrated, the remainder in Macabebe, Sexmoan, and Guagua; in the fourth, in the town of Lipa; in the fifth, in the capital and in Calumpit; and in the last two remaining provinces, only in their respective capitals, and the city of Manila will soon be besieged by our forces as well as the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Zambales, and some others in the Visayas where the revolution at the time of the pacification and others even before, so that the independence of our country and the revindication of our sovereignty is assured.

        And having as witness to the rectitude of our intentions the Supreme Judge of the Universe, and under the protection of the Powerful and Humanitarian Nation, the United States of America, we do hereby proclaim and declare solemnly in the name and by authority of the people of these Philippine Islands,

        That they are and have the right to be free and independent; that they have ceased to have any allegiance to the Crown of Spain; that all political ties between them are and should be completely severed and annulled; and that, like other free and independent States, they enjoy the full power to make War and Peace, conclude commercial treaties, enter into alliances, regulate commerce, and do all other acts and things which an Independent State has a right to do,

        And imbued with firm confidence in Divine Providence, we hereby mutually bind ourselves to support this Declaration with our lives, our fortunes, and with our most sacred possession, our Honor.

        We recognize, approve, and ratify, with all the orders emanating from the same, the Dictatorship established by Don Emilio Aguinaldo whom we revere as the Supreme Head of this Nation, which today begins to have a life of its own, in the conviction that he has been the instrument chosen by God, in spite of his humble origin, to effectuate the redemption of this unfortunate country as foretold by Dr. Don Jose Rizal in his magnificent verses which he composed in his prison cell prior to his execution, liberating it from the Yoke of Spanish domination,

        And in punishment for the impunity with which the Government sanctioned the commission of abuses by its officials, and for the unjust execution of Rizal and others who were sacrificed in order to please the insatiable friars in their hydropical thirst for vengeance against and extermination of all those who oppose their Machiavellian ends, trampling upon the Penal Code of these Islands, and of those suspected persons arrested by the Chiefs of Detachments at the instigation of the friars, without any form nor semblance of trial and without any spiritual aid of our sacred Religion; and likewise, and for the same ends, eminent Filipino priests, Doctor Don Jose Burgos, Don Mariano Gomez, and Don Jacinto Zamora were hanged whose innocent blood was shed due to the intrigues of these so-called Religious corporations which made the authorities to believe that the military uprising at the fort of San Felipe in Cavite on the night of January 21, 1872 was instigated by those Filipino martyrs, thereby impeding the execution of the decree-sentence issued by the Council of State in the appeal in the administrative case interposed by the secular clergy against the Royal Orders that directed that the parishes under them within the jurisdiction of this Bishopric be turned over to the Recollects in exchange for those controlled by them in Mindanao which were to be transferred to the Jesuits, thus revoking them completely and ordering the return of those parishes, all of which proceedings are on file with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to which they are sent last month of last year for the issuance of the proper Royal Degree which, in turn, caused the growth of the tree of liberty in this our dear land that grew more and more through the iniquitous measures of oppression, until the last drop from our chalice of suffering having been drained, the first spark of revolution broke out in Caloocan, spread out to Santamesa and continued its course to the adjoining regions of the province where the unequalled heroism of its inhabitants fought a onesided battle against superior forces of General Blanco and General Polavieja for a period of three months, without proper arms nor ammunitions, except bolos, pointed bamboos, and arrows.

        Moreover, we confer upon our famous Dictator Don Emilio Aguinaldo all the powers necessary to enable him to discharge the duties of Government, including the prerogatives of granting pardon and amnesty,

        And, lastly, it was resolved unanimously that this Nation, already free and independent as of this day, must use the same flag which up to now is being used, whose design and colors are found described in the attached drawing, the white triangle signifying the distinctive emblem of the famous Society of the "Katipunan" which by means of its blood compact inspired the masses to rise in revolution; the three stars, signifying the three principal Islands of this Archipelago-Luzon, Mindanao, and Panay where this revolutionary movement started; the sun representing the gigantic steps made by the sons of the country along the path of Progress and Civilization; the eight rays, signifying the eight provinces-Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas - which declared themselves in a state of war as soon as the first revolt was initiated; and the colors of Blue, Red, and White, commemorating the flag of the United States of North America, as a manifestation of our profound gratitude towards this Great Nation for its disinterested protection which it lent us and continues lending us.
        And holding up this flag of ours, I present it to the gentlemen here assembled:

        Who solemnly swear to recognize and defend it unto the last drop of their blood.:

        In witness thereof, I certify that this Act of Declaration of Independence was signed by me and by all those here assembled including the only stranger who attended those proceedings, a citizen of the U.S.A., Mr. L. M. Johnson, a Colonel of Artillery.

        Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista
        War Counsellor and Special Delegate-Designate

===================

Palitan mo lang ang ilang salita, at parang walang nagbago.
110 taong nakalilipas, mayroon pa ring mga mapang-abuso sa kanilang kapangyarihan.
Mayroon pa ring pinarurusahan ng walang sakdal. Mayroong ibang nawawala ng lamang.

Kailan nga ba tayo tunay, bilang isang bansa, na naging malaya?
Di kaya ang ating kasarinlan, naging sarilinan? Kami, kayo, tayo, sila.
Malayang gawin ang gusto natin; bahala na ang iba.

Huwad ang ganitong kalayaan.Huwad na kalayaan ang maghangad ng pansariling kabutihan lamang, at hindi isinasaalang-alang ang kapakanan ng mas maraming PIlipino naghihikahos, nagugutom, namamatay.

Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo, o ang "mamatay kang mag-isa mo"?

...you'll just have to check out Feliz' page:

http://flefguerrero.multiply.com/journal/item/341/Random_Fortuitous_Events?replies_read=4

to find out why I'm all so high.

=======================

I'm just hoping everything works out fine.

=======================

tagged by tishywishy
a. List seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself
b. Tag seven people to do the same
c. Do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag "whoever wants to do it."


1. i like sleeping early so that i can wake up at around 3 am.
2. i watched far too many kung fu movies as a kid.
3. i'm fascinated with scientific calculators and secretly wish i could remember how to use it.
4. for me, sinag, liwanag, diwa and anita are real people. i sure hope you meet them someday.
5. certain judges never fail to amaze me.
6. i really need a black suit which fits me.
7. i ought to be finishing my demurrer to the evidence, but i'm stuck as to a particular point.

tagging sticky_keynes, thinbastardlittleseasquirtjanina0610 invisiblepathos fourth_eye call_me_d