His voice, hoarse and not yet fully recovered, Rene Saguisag’s eyes sparkled as he reminisced Dec. 7, 1982 when Marcos’ military raided the office of We Forum, the sister company of Malaya, and the subsequent legal battle for press freedom.
He shook his head sadly when the conversation touched on the Nov. 29, 2007 incident at the Manila Pen and the arrest and handcuffing of media who covered the crisis.
On the eve of his checkout from the Makati Medical Center where he was confined after surviving a vehicular accident (his wife, Dulce, died) last Nov. 8; we visited Rene to mark the 25th anniversary of the raid and closure of We Forum.
“We” were Edith Burgos, wife of Joe Burgos,Jr, founder of We Forum and Malaya (Edith is now known as mother of the missing Jonas Burgos;Chuchay Fernandez, editor-in-chief of Business Mirror who used to work as We Forum correspondent when it started in 1977; Butch Fernandez, Business Mirror senate reporter; Joel Paredes, who covered the We Forum sedition case as reporter of Times Journal; and myself.
When the Burgos family decided to turn Malaya, which was then a tagalog tabloid, into an English newspaper and take off where We Forum was stopped, Chuchay later joined as managing editor. Joel was our chief of reporters, Butch, our political reporter, and I started as an education reporter.
Back to Rene. Obviously, the accident has not diminished his wit and sense and humor. He recalled with relish the time when during a hearing, he accidentally struck the wig of his fellow counsel for Burgos, Martiniano Vivo, as he was making a point to the judge with his hands. Seeing Vivo’s wig in his hands, he muttered, “P.I”.
When everybody recovered from the hilarious incident, Rene said, “After that hair-raising experience….”
As we were all laughing reminiscing the Vivo wig courtroom scene, Chuchay commented,”Come to think of it, why is it that in crucial moments of in our struggle for freedom, a wig always figures?” She was, of course, referring to the retired Sgt. Elmer Colon, who was seen marching with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, wearing a wig.
Rene also recalled the time he was fined by Quezon City judge Jose Castro P50 and Jojo Binay (now Makati mayor) P200 for contempt of court. He said the P50 was for his saying that “the court was getting militarized” because of the presence of several high-ranking military officers in the courtroom.
Rene said he willingly paid P50 and asked the judge, “Can I say something more? I’ll just pay P50.” Of course, the judge denied his request..
Binay’s P200 fine stemmed from Col. Balbino Diego of the Judge Advocate general reading his testimony linking Burgos to the Light-a-fire movement. Another Burgos lawyer, Soc Rodrigo protested and was supported by the courtroom audience who booed Diego.
Judge Castro admonished the crowd for booing. Saguisag defended the crowd saying the booing was a reaction to the court’s leniency to the witness. The judge said, “I’ve already told the witness not to do it again.” The crowd burst into laughter. The judge looked at Binay and said, “For laughing the loudest, you are fined P200.”
We missed the Makati mayor in that hospital get together (he visited Rene earlier). Expectedly, he became the “pulutan”.
Aside from Saguisag, Binay, and Vivo, and Rodrigo, there were 74 other lawyers, the most prominent of whom was now senator Joker Arroyo.
Edith recalled that it was lunchtime when the soldiers led by Col. Rolando Abadilla, the chief of the notorious Intelligence Service of the AFP, came with the much-dreaded ASSO (Arrest, Search, Seizure order). The lawyers told the raiding team: “You are not to take out anything from this place without having been logged in.”
Edith brought out stacks of uncollated We Forum issues. Since it was not collated, it had to be logged in page by page. While the documentation was being done, Edith, whom the soldiers didn’t recognize as the wife of Jose Burgos, was calling all the wire agencies that immediately sent photographers and reporters.
When it was getting dark and they were not even half-through with the documentation, a furious Abadilla hit the wooden wall. Butas!
Edith said it was almost midnight when the documentation was completed. As the lawyers, marched out single-file through We Forum’s dark corridor, Saguisag recalled Joker Arroyo telling Binay to lead the way. “Kaya lang lalong dumilim (The path became darker),” Rene said laughing referring to his friend’s dark complexion.
Rene said two years after the raid, the Supreme Court ruled the sedition case in favor of Burgos saying that what they confiscated in the raid can’t be used because they were “fruits of a poisoned tree.”
He said that was an indication that the Supreme Court was beginning to distance from the Marcos dictatorship that fell two years later.
Binay, in a statement to underscore the importance of remembering Dec. 7, 1982, expressed the hope that today’s Supreme Court will also uphold press freedom in the face of assaults by the Arroyo administration.
He said, “Twenty five years ago, press freedom came under siege from a despotic regime intent on suppressing the exercise of Constitutional rights. In ruling against the military, the Supreme Court firmly upheld the importance of a free press and admonished the authorities for imposing prior restraint on the exercise of press freedom.
“At this time when we face yet another crisis involving the exercise of Constitutional rights, I am very confident that the Supreme Court will once again display its judicial activism and stand squarely on the side of the Constitution.”
Binay said just as in the time of Marcos,there are still people in government “who are either dismally uninformed or refuse to acknowledge the right and duty of journalists to cover events.”
“In the case of Burgos, the authorities did not distinguish Joe as a journalist from the people that he covers, which was exactly what happened to the journalists who covered the Manila Peninsula incident.”
In this country, only a handful deserve to be called journalist. Certainly, the bogus vice-president is not one of them.
I wish we could see Rene back into circulation soonest possible.
Ellen: What is the motivation or rationale behind the transformation of Joker A.? Will Rene S. know?
A great and brilliant mind is a terrible thing to waste! Joker A. did!
I hope to see Rene S. Back in the harness soon at his convenience!
“A great and brilliant mind” that was Joker A metamorphosed into an insect like Franz Kafka’s novella. Hope he won’t die of infection caused by the dirty monies of the Pidals.
Ano na ba ang balita tungkol kay Jonas…? Kawawa naman ang familia niya..specially his mother..
..well it seems that Joker Arroyo is indeed a joker..well in poker…the joker is used as a wild card..ano ba ang tunay niyang pangalan…
In June 5, 1986, Judge Jose P. Castro was dismissed from the service, with forfeiture of all retirement benefits and pay and with prejudice to reinstatement in any branch of the government, for confabulating (wow ang lalim – meaning nakikipagkuntsaba) with a litigant in his court against another litigant.
Talaga naman weather weather lang.
Thanks for the info, Atty.
atty36252: Your thought on Joker Arroyo? Thanks!
atty36252: Your thought on Joker Arroyo?
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In the Cory Congress, Mamintal Tamano was advocating for the appointment of his Upsilon brods Doy Laurel and Joker Arroyo as negotiators with the multilaterals for debt renegotiation. Ayaw ni Nene.
Nene: We want negotiators who are tough, intelligent, who cannot be swayed by these multi-laterals, who are…
Tamano: Your Honor, I think you have just described the Vice-President (touché Nene). What is your objection to the Executive Secretary?
Nene: Well his very name – Joker. The World Bank may think we are joking (touché Mike Tamano).
atty: Mamintal Tamano is the father of Adel?
Seriously, Arroyo was the idol of many contemporaries. To him, they attribute the notion that a serious thinker has times when he flirts with leftist ideas (Marxism, et al). Hindi ka daw matalino kung hindi ka dating kaliwa.
An arroyo is a stream or brook that is usually dry except after heavy rainfall.
Maaaring irrigated noon ang utak ni Joker sa pakikisalamuha kay Old Man Tañada, Soc Rodrigo, et al. It seems the brook has dried up, kulang sa interaction with the people he used to defend, or the people with whom he used to defend the poor.
Ikaw nga naman ang ma-irrigate ang utak with interactions with Miriam and JPE, what do you think will happen to the brook?
Reverse weather-weather. Kaya saludo ako kay Rene A.V. Saguisag; as constant as his idol Tañada.
Yes, Mamintal is the father of Adel.
Arroyo was the idol of many contemporaries.
***********
I meant my contemporaries.
“Ikaw nga naman ang ma-irrigate ang utak with interactions with Miriam and JPE, what do you think will happen to the brook?”
Hahahaah! Joker ka rin, atty…positive na joker ha.
I thought you said Joker was your contempory, heheh!
Sabi ko pa naman e ang galing pa ng utak mo while Joker’s already “dried up”. 🙂
Off topic but I cannot go far back to the loop where this comment should be, but the Dorobo, true to form, must have been pulsing public sentiments through this blog, etc. as when she decided to go to Kuwait, instead of sending De Castro, there again on a useless junket.
Reports say that she has asked for the commutation of Marilou Ranario’s death sentence and is taking credit for all efforts of Filipinos around the world to save the poor domestic helper. Siya na naman daw ang bida!
But who is she kidding when Bunye skipped giving the rest of those petitioners for the poor girl’s life due credit for what they did before the duwende decided to try to use it to whitewash the scandals she and her husband are involved in and need to be exposed in full yet?
What the media in the Philippines should do is make sure to write more and expose the new deals with the Europeans after the deals with the Chinese! They should not be sidetracked by all these propaganda that make the Dorobo an angel instead of what she really is.
Lesson of it all is “tuloy ang laban!”
By all means, any tyrant should be removed even when she pretends to be benevolent when she likes it as when someone must have told her to take advantage of the Ranario case to clean up her sagging image with the Spanish award as “palikpik”!
Sana nanalo ang mga kastilla. Wla sana lahat itong iba’t ibang tyranny mula kay Marcos na napalitan din ng masmasahol pa. di matatangos pa mga ilong natin.
Hi Valderama,
Kung talagang iisipin, mali ang kinampihan ng mga Pilipino sa kasaysayan…
In 1750’s , the British successfully invaded Manila and kicked out Gov. Gen. Simon de Anda to Ilocos region… the Filipinos had a chance to side with the British, then… e kaso nanaig ang pagiging Katoliko… sayang! Tingnan mo ang mga ex-colonies ng England versus yung mga ex-colonies ng Spain… ang laki ng pagkakaiba, di ba?
Tapos. noong WW2, kampi naman tayo sa America… kung kumampi tayo sa Japan, baka nakuha natin yung disiplina nila, maunlad na sana tayo ngayon…
By the way, sina Aguinaldo, Ricarte, at ibang Katipunero na buhay pa nang panahon ng Hapon, kampi sa mga Hapon… dahil alam nila na hindi pwedeng pagkatiwalaan ang mga Kano… mukhang talagang may foresight sina Aguinaldo….
Sorry Valdemar, mali ang pagkaka-type ko sa name mo… ganyan talaga pag hindi pa nanainom ng kape bago sumabak sa computer…
see, what i mean… “nanainom” … should be “nakainom”….
BTW, PD, there is no record that Aguinaldo sided with the Japanese. Ricarte, meron.
Isa siya sa supporters ng SAKDAL at GANAP, whose members were the ones who sided, not connived with the Japanese, to fight for Philippine independence from the Americans. He was in fact the founder of the MAKAPILI, so who says that they were traitors? Let’s be more precise. Mahirap ang gumaya pa tayo doon sa nakaupo sa Malacanang na nagkakalat na ng lagim, nagkakalat pa ng basurang hindi dapat pinupulot ng mga matitinong pilipino.
Yuko,
Aguinaldo was used by the Japanese to gather support for the their Greater Asia Co-prospertiy Sphere since he is an icon of a revolutionary against the American Imperialism during his time…
Aguinaldo, after being captured by the Americans, never really reconciled with them and like Mabini, Ricarte, and other true nationalists of their time, never trusted the Americans… unlike the likes of Cayetano Arellano, Pedro Paterno, De Tavera… and other illustrados at that time…
He was spared from the trials of “collaborators” of the Japanese sponsored Philippine gov’t ( 1943 ) after the war because of his stature as the first Philippine president.
No record of such in Japan, PD, and even in the Philippines. Never heard as a matter of fact in my study of Philippine history and relations between Japan and the Philippines as a history major.
It must be hearsay. Mas authentic iyong kay Ricarte, who was even evacuated to the Mountain Province. I am more particular about this as I have met his kins in Yokohama, Japan.
My grandfather and Ricarte were good friends, you know. They were both from the same outfit I think who supported Gen. Antonio Luna, my grandfather’s blood kin. Ny grandfather was also sent on exile to the Marianas and finally to Hawaii before he came back to the Philippines to die there after WWII.
PD:
I am familiar with the Makapili trial having researched on it, and cooperated in production of documentaries for showing in Japan during commemoration of the war in August, but never have we heard of Aguinaldo’s collaboration with the Japanese.
Likewise, Ricarte would not have cooperated with him as you claim as my grandfather did for what he tried to do with the Ilocano KKK when he ordered the assassination of Antonio Luna. All these stories about Aguinaldo and the Japanese must be another invention by the Malacanang occupant to get Japanese fundings. Sorry, but unless I see proofs of it in our own archives, I don’t buy this story.
PD:
I can believe the story of Ricarte as a collaborator but not unpatriotic. The guy was just simply against US rule. Meanwhile, it is ironic for Filipinos to be labeling the Makapili as traitors, and to connect it with Aguinaldo simply because of its official name of “Makabayan Katipunan Ñg Mga Pilipino” or Alliance of Philippine Patriots.
There were proofs of Ricarte being active in this group, but not Aguinaldo.
Meanwhile, let’s all push for Gloria to order the AFP to bring out Jonas Burgos, the two female UP students, who are believed to be dead now for all the brutality that they have been subjected to–ni-rape pa ang balita, et al, dead or alive! Baka magkaroon ng resulta kung mag-iingay tayo dahil desperado si Dorobo na gumanda ang image niya to whitewash the other scandals.
As for Atty. Saguisag, I pray that he can recover soon, and remember to be a better lawyer and fighter now that he has tasted how it is to have a narrow brush with death.
Hi Yuko,
These are just but a few of references to Aguinaldo,…
http://www.answers.com/topic/emilio-aguinaldo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Aguinaldo#Post-American_era
it will start the ball rolling for your research on the subject matter… I do remember reading about it in the Filipinana section of the Main Library in UP… noong marami pa akong oras na pwedeng sayangin habang hinihintay yung crush ko na mag-research in the same section…(wink! wink!)
By the way, about Antonio Luna… when he was assasinated, allegedly upon the orders of Aguinaldo, ( yes, uso na ang backstabbing dati pa! Bonifacio brothers are one of the first victims… right?) , he was supposed to be carrying the funds of the Revolutionary gov’t at that time… when he was killed, there were “insinuation” that this funds “disappeared” … rumor was that it was entrusted by Luna to the local beauty that he was wooing at that time… this beautiful lass is a “Cojuanco” …. perhaps, doon nanggaling ang yaman nila? just asking…
Naku… tsismoso na rin ako…. tsk! tsk! tsk!….
“Conjuangco” pala… lintek na keyboard ito!
“A great and brilliant mind” that was Joker.”
a bright example of a genius who mastered almost everything but became insensitibly dumb and ignorant on the feelings of the majority who are suffering from the claws of the tyrant.
Mrivera,
… majority suffering from the claws of the tyrant? Don’t you realize how good an economist Gloria is?
Under GMA, the salaries and benefits have more than doubled! The standard of living had improved tremendously despite skyrocketing oil price. The strength of the peso gave them more buying power. Everyone is happy and looking forward in the future when they can achieve the First World status…
… but enough talking about her family , her congressmen, her senators and her generals… let’s talk about the Filipino people in general… next time…
PD,
Kape kana?
You are right. The japs is my next best alternative. Discipline is the word. We nearly achieved that discipline if not for all the personalities that followed that are all traitors to our dreams. So far, there had been no heroes yet that qualify to be a real hero, only political heroes.
Will You Dare to be a Rebel?
Our history is full of men and women who risked life, limb, liberty, and means just so we can have the freedom we take for granted nowadays. There is no substitute for self-rule, as everyone of us strives to be independent from our parents, demand a certain degree of autonomy in our jobs, and decide from our own conscience. We are free to search for the truth in the midst of all this deception.
More individuals will come to stick their necks out for those of us who are “unwilling.” That is why I urge you to respect these people, regardless of their motives, the fact that they are willing to lose so much makes them a breed apart. Although we fancy ourselves as their “judges” I doubt if we can ever be half the men they were. As perpetual “spectators” we will live long enough to make judgments as to who was right or wrong, hell, some even called the crucifixion as the greatest suicide of all time…are we to choose this destiny? Or when the time comes are we willing to put our own necks on the line? At least when we die we will say that our lives meant something…Are we willing to go against the odds, to swim against the tide? Are we willing to be REBELS? If anyone of you can say yes, do so and I will tell you where you can meet us.
It’s all rumors, PD. Never heard, not from my grandfather who hated Aguinaldo that much. My grandfather was in fact an eyewitness to the assassination of his uncle, and reason why he would run after my elder brother, who loved to tease him by merely uttering the name of Aguinaldo. Fortunately, he died before the Dorobo’s father honored the funcionario Aguinaldo.
Anyway, back to Rene Saguisag. As much as possible, let us keep to the subject in a loop unless we ask for proper permission from Ellen. I hate being a boor and uncouth. Sayang na lang ang ibinayad namin sa isang finishing school to learn the art of good breeding, good manners and right conduct.
piping dilat,
aye, aye. bow.
wala na tayong ‘a’anapin pa sa pagiging ga’aman ng mga dugong haso’t buwaya.
if we have to correct our history, there would be so much to change and/or straighten and this can cause confusion to the younger generation who are beginning to appreciate who among our modern day leaders are guiding them to the right path.
gloria is the issue, whatever subject is discussed in this classroom and she will remain the issue no matter how her greedy cabals try to cover her shit!
Trouble with the law in Pinas? You’ve got lots of dough? Buy a judge in Pinas.
A friend of mine got her marriage annulment quickly from her abusive husband who had been trying to siphon her money by paying the judge millions. (I approve of her trying to get the annulment quickly from her abusive husband but disapprove her paying a judge to obtain it.)
Recently, a Batangueno I know well (all of us I think read about the homicide) killed his “associate” over money matters and is out on bail, having a good time, because he millions of pesos to a judge — friends say, there is a strong chance he will not go to prison at all. (This Batangueno has a twin brother who has been involved in a few homicides but never landed a day in prison.)
Just look at Chavit Singson!
The media is banned in the resumption of the hearings in the Oakwood case, as abs-cbn reports.
Istorbo yang mga camera niyo. Mahirap himasin ang katotohanan kapag may footage na. Paano kami gagawa ng mga pilipit na affidavit kung may kakontrang footage?
Isang libo daw ang babantay sa iilan. Ingat lang, baka hindi inyo yang isang libo.
Yuko,
nawala yung link na linagay ko about Aguinaldo. Nasa labas pa ako ngayon… Christmas party… Pero you can google it if you want to.
My interest in history stems from the fact that my great great grandfather happens to be Gen. Mariano Alvares and his son, Gen. Santiago Alvares is my great grandfather.
Atty,
Overkill na naman. 1000 bantay, walang tiwala sa sarili si Asspweron! Napaka-importante talaga ng grupong ito nina Sen. Sonny and Gen. Lim, inihambing na sila ng rehimen ni Gloria sa kasikatan ni Erap. Yehey!
Naku, kay Oscar Pimentel na naman ang harap ng mga “rebelde”, paktaylo na!
Bawal ang media? Upon whose orders? Ang trial ay controlado ng Judge, so hindi puwedeng magbawal ang police sa courtroom.
Doon naman sa paligid, hindi ba hawak ng Mayor yan? Either pumayag si Binay, o na bypass siya.
Sinong nagpa-bypass? Yung na-bypass ang puso?
Juggernaut, I’m with you.
Funny that many of those who are deriding Trillanes and Lim are doing so because they failed.
They say they dislike Gloria But they wanted Trillanes and Lim to shed their blood for them while they watch and wait in the sidelines. When it failed, akala mo kung sinong mga experts and know-it-all.
But why are Gloria and her generals so praning? There are talks that there were supposed to have been “activities” also in Camp Aguinaldo and Fort Bonifacio. But for some reason or another, it did not materialize.
Because Trillanes anf Lim’s sympathizers did not surface, that is what giving Gloria and her generals sleepless nights. Yan ang pina-praning nila.
Gabriela,
“Because Trillanes anf Lim’s sympathizers did not surface, that is what giving Gloria and her generals sleepless nights. Yan ang pina-praning nila.”
Agree, agree, agree!
atty36252: Salamat! Very insightful which in a way validates my dilemma on Joker A.
Looking at the big picture…. I dread thinking of the Senate without distinguishED gentlemen like Joker A., JPE and the parliamentary antics of Lady Miriam.
On a serious note… With Joker A., do you think Viagra or Cialis might help “stimulate” his drought-stricken brain?
On a serious note… With Joker A., do you think Viagra or Cialis might help “stimulate” his drought-stricken brain?
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You mean a woman activist? To reactivate his activism? Puwede. Even King David was rejuvenated by a young woman.
Pero mas maganda yung fire from within – like Old Man Tañada, or Rene S.
Nasaan na ba si Bobby Tañada? Seems the fire did not pass from the Old Man to the son.
Dalawa daw ang may wig so Cory Senate – Teroy Laurel, and Bobby (Wigberto) Tañada.
atty36252: It must be the polluted water from Manila Bay coming from the San Miguel section of the Pasig River!
Something is terribly wrong in our system!
Unless it is an authority on history publishing his research on the web, PD, I’d rather not believe it, especially when published by someone trying to make heroes of the non-hero and some ambitious crook. As I have mentioned, I hold a degree in history and have done my own research especially on things that pertain to my own family history.
Malaya prints, “She said that to protect the rights of OFWs abroad, the government has required a minimum wage of $400 per month for Filipino domestic helpers.”
Wow, ipinagmalaki pa! Over in Japan, foreigners hiring foreign domestic helpers from the Philippines are required to pay them 150,000 yen (111 yen to 1 dollar) by the Japanese immigration. Kahit hindi si Dorobo, mataas na ang sueldo nila dito kaya iyong karamihan ayaw nang umalis/umuwi. Maliit iyong 400 dollars sa totoo lang. Kaya siguro marami sa mga OFW, hindi na makauwi kundi pa uutang kung kanino.
Nakita kasi nag-rally ang mga pilipino para kay Ranario at saka binatikos dito! Proof that the Dorobo reads this blog, if not her iyong lalaki at mga anak, lalo na iyong babaing anak.
The Magdalo trial should be well covered by the press so there will be no miscarriage of justice. They may prohibit the taking of pictures, videos and still cameras, but the journalists should not be barred from attending such public trial. Hindi puedeng mamayani ang mga gunggong sa totoo lang. Sobrang pang-iinsulto na iyan sa kakayahan ng mga matitinong media.
Yuko,
“She said that to protect the rights of OFWs abroad, the government has required a minimum wage of $400 per month for Filipino domestic helpers.”
Required $400 minimum wage per month ha! Wala sa realidad ang gobyerno ni gluerilla. Dahilan sa walang trabahong maayos ang sweldo sa Pinas, ang mga Pinoy dometic helpers ay napipilitan na mag-overseas ngayon sa ME sa sweldong equivalent sa P6,000 per month lang! Sa Singapore ay P8,000. Gusto niya ng mga pangalan para iluhod niya sa harap ng mga hari sa ME at gobyerno ng Singapore para taasan ang sweldo sa $400? Bigay ko sa kanila. Gggrrrr!
Yuko: Your fortitude is admirable! We also need media to start playing hardball and asking hard-nosed questions. Call a spade, a spade! Mahina ang follow-up! Walang background facts!
J. Cruz: Something is terribly wrong in our system!
*****
Sinabi mo pa. Maliit pa ako marami nang racket sa totoo lang. Unang racket na narinig kong usap-usapan ng mga matatanda kahit hindi pa ako pumapasok ng eskuwela ay iyong tungkol sa NARIC at mga backpay ng mga sumama sa guerrilla at magsundalo.
I actually wonder why MacArthur did not supervise the Philippines at the end of WWII at the transition before and even after the granting of independence to the Philippines by the US. Instead, he agreed to come to Japan and helped rebuild Japan, and revise the Japanese system by introducing some democratic principles that would reduce the power of the emperor with the abolition of the peerage system, etc. Land reform was also vigorously implemented resulting in the improvement of situation of the farmers, who BTW knew gratitude that they agreed to till the lands they receive well enough to feed all their fellow Japanese. Why did the Americans not supervise the Filipinos until they could learn how to run a good government? I wonder.
J. Cruz:
Over where I am based, the only trial barred from the press and the public are trials of minors as the main consideration and concern is the protection of their privacy.
Otherwise, trials here are open to the public except that without a court permit no one can take pictures of the proceeding unlike in the US where they even televise the whole proceedings of sensational cases as the O. J. Simpson trial. It is likewise to protect their privacy to some extent.
TV and newspaper organizations are allowed to take pictures before the trial starts, though. Then, it is up to the media to write down the story as they hear what are said in a trial. Records are available for study after the trial and conviction or acquittal of the accused. For me, I find it very reasonable and practical.
Yuko,
You wonder why? Why not ask Herman Tiu Laurel… he had written something about the policy of the Americans to keep the Philippines as a source of natural resources and nothing more…
Over here, media cannot interview people who are in detention. Sobrang higpit, but no one complains or find it unfair since it is applicable to all unlike in the Philippines where one rule of the game is “palakasan.” If they need information, they ask the lawyers, who may or may not oblige to share information. Usually, they hold press conferences after a session to update the press on sensational cases. Still, there are very few cases of abuse, mistrial, etc.
No need to ask HTL, PD. I have enough notes from lectures given by my professors at UP before. Still, I find it strange that the Americans would find it more worthwhile to settle the Japanese more than they should do likewise for the Filipinos, who actually fought for the US in WWII.
Reading this article and your narration of events, Ellen…those wonderful moments with then prominent personalities from the opposition like Saguisag, isa yata kayo sa mga anti-Marcos journalists noon, hindi ba Ellen?
Please tell us honestly, how was that or those experiences during the time of Marcos compared to the current GMA regime? Ganyan ba ang ginawa ni Marcos sa inyo tulad sa nangyari sa Manila Pen? Siguro naman noon hindi kayo itinali ng plastic na parang mga baboy. Even Ninoy, charged of a serious offense of rebellion, was allowed to play golf in prison. Siyanga pala, si Col. Abadilla ay head ng MISG (Metrocom Intelligence Service Group) at hindi Intelligence Service of AFP. Wala pa yatang ISAFP noon. Senator Ping Lacson was still a young tenyente or captain then under Abadilla. Abadilla’s boss was Gen. Olivas. The late Gen. Fabian Ver was then the AFP Chief Staff and also led NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency). The one who headed the PSG (Presidential Security Group) was Gen. Barangan. Col. Balbino Diego made lots of money issuing Malacanang IDs and mission orders. Many wealthy businessmen, the Tsinoys, carried PSG/Malacanang IDs and badges, mission orders allowing them to carry guns, Malacanang stickers on their cars.
Brownberry, thanks for the correction. Abadilla was head of MISG, not ISAFP.
i know its out of the topic…pero may nagpapapogi na namang senador sa tv…ang balimbing na si bong revilla…napakatahimik din ng senador na ito sa mga anomalyang nangyayari sa gobyerno…ang tinira na lang nya, si edu manzano…ehe he he…
Yuko: You’re a walking encyclopedia of note! Kudos!
Undoubtedly, we, Filipinos have a way with words. How I wish, in more ways than not, this innate ability could “somehow” be translated into acts of volunteerism and patriotism.
To the life of me, even endowed with so much natural resources, we can’t seem to get our acts together to make food more affordable! Why?
Everybody is looking for loopholes in the law to be circumvented! Unbelievable!
Why do so few so blinded by the truth, so jaded by greed and knowingly participated in defrauding the Filipino people?
Either way, where and when is the tipping point?
There is no comparison in We Forum raid to Manila Pen.
1. Press was the target raided at their office while in Pen the Press was given warning to vacate the place for police operation.
2. Press was tried for sedition while there is no such thing in Pen.
3. We Forum was shutdown by military while in Pen the Press is business as usual.
Hardly to dramatize the press freedom when press can do whatever it wanted.
ronnie80: With the political noise, after seemingly being excluded from the junk__, Revilla is making it known (loud & clear)to GMA to wit:
what’s good for Santiago, Zubiri and Angara must be good for Revilla also! Equitable distribution if you get my drift….. let alone being a cry baby!!
“Either way, where and when is the tipping point?” – J Cruz.
There is no tipping point until the constituents realize that they have to take hold of the legislature. Garbage in, garbage out.
You’re welcome, Ellen. Tawag nga kay Abadilla noon “Tsekwa”. Tsinoy yata iyon. But all the military goons of Marcos were no match to Esperon. Si Esperon ang pinakaberdugo.
There is no tipping point until the constituents realize that they have to take hold of the legislature. — d0d0ng
d0d0ng is absolutely right!
That’s exactly what happened before the fall of Louis XVI… The French constituents took hold of the legislature and kicked out the pro-monarch legislators and before they knew it, heads were rolling.
“There is no comparison in We Forum raid to Manila Pen.”
Oh, there is, Dodong, if you’d look more closely. It only proves that “The Pen is mightier than the sword”.
atty36252,
The “brook” was polluted by filth that leached all the way from the Pig Pen by the river and the crap that flows abundantly from his congressional seatmates Johnny and Miriam.
“…..the government has required a minimum wage of $400 per month for Filipino domestic helpers.”
hunghang ‘yang si gloria, eh! sino’ng kakagat sa 400 US dollars na ipasweldo sa tsimay? 200 nga binabawasan pa’t may libreng bugbog at kinukulong na parang kriminal sa loob ng bahay!
wala siyang alam kundi gaguhin ang buong sambayanan!
ang anak ko ang isang halimbawa ng nakipagsapalaran upang matustusan ang pangangailangan ng dalawa niyang anak. sapagkat namatay na ang asawang aasahan (isang dating marines na namatay ilang buwan bago isilang ang anak niyang lalaki at hindi hinatian ng swapang na’y ganid pang biyenan), lingid sa aking kaalaman ay nag-apply na SUPERMAID dito pa sa saudi arabia.
ipinaglihim sa akin na ilang buwan siyang hindi pinasweldo at itong huli ay binugbog pa’t kinulong kaya pinatakas ko na upang huwag nang dumanas pa ng mas malalang kahayupan sa kamay ng asal demonyong among babae at nagpapasalamat ako sa kawalang malasakit ng itinalagang case officer na isang maranao dahil nakauwi ang anak kong hindi niya nalalaman.
natakot ang amo na sila ay masangkot sa mas matindi pang eskandalo kaya napilitang pauwiin ang aking anak subalit ang dapat niyang sahurin ay hindi ibinigay. walang baon at naiuwi sa kanyang mga gamit kundi ang ilang pirasong damit dahil ‘yung iba ay sinunog ng mabait na amo.
nagpapasalamat ako at nandiyan si ellen, na walang pagdadalawang isip na tinulungan ang aking anak pagkalapag na pagkalapag niya sa NAIA.
The characters in the Katipunan were all true heroes whatever was their color. They were like that for choosing the better strategy to give their sons and daughters true and happy way of life. They and their kins never asked for renumeration for their fight. Those people asking for renumerations for removing Marcos were plain mercenaries. Never will they be heroes to me. Are they to you? Juggernaut asked us to be rebels, hmm, Will you ask also for renumerations before or afterwards?