ellen tordesillas – Page 126 – Making life worth living.

The Corona impeachment trigger

Published by Ellen on January 16, 2012

The trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona has started.

It is expected that like the Estrada impeachment trial, the Corona impeachment would also be a blockbuster telenovela that will be followed by the Filipino nation. Afternoons will now be prime TV hours, Mondays through Thursdays.

It is appropriate to ponder how we got into this situation that viewed from the Aquino administration’s perspective would result in reforms in the judiciary and better government for the people. From the political opposition’s perspective, however, it’s trampling on the Constitutional guarantee of separation of powers and bastardizing democracy.

I think it’s good to know how we got into this situation in the first place. We must ask why, after one-and-a-half-years in office, Aquino finally decided to move for the ouster of Corona.

VERA Files follows Corona Trial

Published by Ellen on January 16, 2012

VERA Files has created a page on the Corona Trial. I encourage you to visit it. We will try to help readers understand the proceedings…

63-year-old pianist puts up impromptu ‘concert’ for train commuters

Published by Ellen on January 14, 2012

This is so beautiful!

By Amer R. Amor, VERA Files

When world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell played at the Washington DC Metro Station in 2007 as part of The Washington Post’s social experiment on how people perceive and appreciate art and beauty, very few noticed and applauded. But when a 63-year-old man played the piano at the LRT 2 Cubao Station on Jan. 12, Filipino commuters stopped, paid attention, took videos, applauded, and at some point, swayed and sang along with his music.

Perhaps as a testament to British award-winning author Neil Gaiman’s tweet on Friday that it is indeed more fun in the Philippines since Filipinos applaud loudly, at least 300 commuters alternately took delight in the impromptu “concert” of pianist performer Vidalito Infante in a music retail stall at the Cubao Station from 4 to 6 p.m.

Si Jinkee at ang kambal niyang si Janet

Published by Ellen on January 14, 2012

Jinkee and twin sister janet — Before the Belo makeover, 2010.Thanks to Malaya for photo

Birthday ni Jinkee Pacquiao at ng kanyang kambal na si Janet Jamora noong Huwebes (Enero 12) at pinakita sa television silang magkatabi.

Hindi nga naman masyadong malayo ang mukha. Maayos ang trabaho ni Vicki Belo.

Nag-uusap kami ng aking mga kaibigan tungkol sa report kung paano pinaganda ni Belo si Jinkee at naawa kami kay Janet.

Di ba ibang-iba na ang mukha ni Jinkee. Sexy at glamorosa. Kailangan daw gawin ito ni Jinkee dahil malikot daw ang mata ng boxing champ sa mga sexy na artista na nakakasalamuha sa showbusiness. Di ba showbiz na rin si Pacquiao?

Sabi ni Jinkee dati, ng tanungin siya tungkol sa mga balita sa mga babaeng nauugnay sa asawa niya, “Ayaw kong magalit. Magpaganda na lang ako.”

At sa tulong ni Belo, talaga namang gumanda.

Should we let it be?

Published by Ellen on January 10, 2012

By Joel Butuyan
Roque & Butuyan Law Offices

I finally had time to sit down and write the percolating thoughts in my mind as I read and watch the impeachment drama. This debate has brought our nation at a crossroads. Which of the two roads should our nation take? The road to impeachment or the road where every person you meet is karaoke-singing the song “Let It Be.” The decision and direction our nation takes hold huge potentials in transforming our society for better or for worse.

Some of our fellow Justices in the 90 million-member Sovereign Court of Public Opinion raise the alarm that the impeachment of the Chief Justice will destroy the essence of the Supreme Court as the sole institution that can decide constitutional issues. This is pointed out because the impeachment complaint accuses the Chief Justice of liability on constitutional issues that were decided by the Supreme Court as a collegial body.

Ang panata sa Itim na Nazareno

Published by Ellen on January 10, 2012

Isa ako sa hindi nakakaintindi sa milyun-milyun na Pilipino na sinusuong ang hirap at peligro para makasama at makalapit sa poong Nazareno na ginaganap tuwing ika-siyam ng Enero sa Quiapo.

Tama siguro ang sinabi ni Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle na para maintindihan, kailangan magiging ‘devotee’ ka ng Nazareno.

Ang prosisyun kahapon ay ang pinakamahaba sa buong kasaysayan ng Itim na Nazareno sa Quiapo. Biruin mo, nagsimula ng mga alas-otso ng umaga ng Lunes, Enero 9 sa Luneta pagkatapos ng misa at dumating sa Quiapo church alas-sais ng umaga ng Enero 10.

Maigsi lang ang distansya na yan. Kung lalakarin mo yan (palagi naming nilalakad ang ruta nay an nang nagra-rali kami ng panahon ni Marcos), hindi ka siguro aabutin ng isang oras.

Mga walong milyon daw ang dumalo sa prosesyun at katulad ng nangyari taon-taon, marami na naman ang nasaktan.

Ito ay sa gitna ng babala ni Pangulong Aquino mismo na may banta ang mga terorista na maghasik ng lagim habang hagang nagpu-prosisyun. Mabuti naman at walang nangyari. Alerto ang buong kapulisan at mga sangay ng gobyerno na may kinalaman sa seguridad.

Bottomline for Trillanes in Corona impeachment

Published by Ellen on January 8, 2012

Trillanes at hearing — Bottomline is national interest

Expect Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV to call a spade a spade.

In his speech at a forum held at the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance, Diliman last week, Trillanes said, “… the over-arching policy issue in this whole impeachment episode is, whether the conviction or acquittal of Chief Justice Renato Corona would be good for our country.”

Unlike other senators who give hypocritical statements that they will decide solely on evidence presented, Trillanes said, “ My verdict should not be based solely on evidence as it (the impeachment trial)now becomes a matter of public policy.”

But it doesn’t mean, he said, that he will ignore the evidence that will be presented by the prosecution.

Ang ‘fun’ at hindi ‘fun’ sa Pilipinas

Published by Ellen on January 7, 2012

Nagsu-surf ako sa internet kagabi para sa pinakahuling balita tungkol sa landslide sa Compostela Valley at napansin ko na ang balita ay nasa bandang ibaba na sa mga websites ng mga diyaryo, TV stations at Facebook at ang nasa itaas ay ang bagong ad slogan ng Department of Tourism na “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”

Hindi yata ‘fun’ ang ganun.

Ayun sa balita, 27 na ang patay sa Compostela Valley at marami ang sugatan. Malungkot itong trahedya lalo na malaki na naman ang kagagawan ng tao.

Mayaman kasi sa ginto ang Compostela Valley kaya namimina doon. Siyempre, binungkal mo ang bundok. Sinira mo na ang pundasyun nun. Kaya kapag lumambot ang lupa dahil sa ulan, mangyayari talaga ang landslide. Lumalaban na ang kalikasan.

Remove that crown of thorns

Published by Ellen on January 6, 2012

By Joel Rocamora
Secretary, National Anti-Poverty Commission

The language of the Corona impeachment is, of necessity, legal. The senators who sit in judgment will do their best to couch their opinions in legalese. Media commentators will try to catch up. But everyone knows that, in the end, it’s all about power and politics.

Law and the judicial system just happen to be the battlefield in this instance. The Corona impeachment is the single most important exercise of presidential power by President Aquino in the year and a half he has spent in office thus far.

The Corona impeachment is about Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA). But only in that GMA has been the symbolic lynchpin of opposition to the reforms that the Aquino administration is currently undertaking. The trigger for impeachment was the Corona Supreme Court’s attempt to facilitate GMA’s escape from the clutches of the law. While there is still another case in the Supreme Court which could be used to spring GMA from prison, more likely she will remain there for some time. The battlefield has now shifted to Corona.

Anything but the evidence

Published by Ellen on January 5, 2012

gettin ready — Getting ready. Photo by Jonas Sulit of Malaya

I think President Aquino will have the numbers to convict Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona regardless of whether the prosecution will be able to support the charges they enumerated in the impeachment complaint.

In a TV interview, Sen. Francis Escudero said it is the presentation of witnesses and evidence, not public opinion, which should decide the outcome of the impeachment trial of Corona.

Even Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who had earlier asked Corona to inhibit on cases involving Gloria Arroyo, also said that the quality evidence will be the determining factor in his decision.

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