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That certain smile

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Here’s what Pres. Aquino said about smiling at the #SAF 44 commandos’ wake – 

Exclusive

by Raïssa Robles

When my request to interview President Aquino was unexpectedly granted last week, Malacañang Palace asked me, again, for a list of  interview questions. I had submitted a list months ago, but apparently they wanted a new copy.

I debated with myself whether I should take the opportunity to include something that had puzzled me for a long time.

It had to do with his facial expression during dramatic, tense moments. It seemed in many of these moments he was smiling – some said smirking.

I decided to submit it anyway.

Mindful he might walk out or terminate the interview abruptly, I waited until the latter part of the interview that lasted over two hours before I asked the question.

You could hear a pin drop in that vast room as his face visibly changed when he replied. Here’s what he said and it’s now on the front page of South China Morning Post online:

During the editing of my piece, my editor asked me to verify a photo he found online of Aquino, taken after he was shot in 1987.

He was also smiling.

Here is an excerpt of the top story on SCMP’s website today –

Philippine president Aquino explains why his smile shouldn’t make people angry

Raïssa Robles in Manila

UPDATED : Tuesday, 21 April, 2015, 8:42am

Philippine President Benigno Aquino has explained why people sometimes misunderstand his awkward smile – including in the wake of the 2010 Manila hostage tragedy in which eight Hongkongers died.

“I have various smiles for various purposes,” he told the South China Morning Post in an exclusive interview, as he recounted the outrage his enigmatic expressions have caused.

“Usually I have a particular smile when I am so fed up.”

Aquino is well known for smiling during moments when it would seem inappropriate. Earlier this year, he set off a storm of controversy in the Philippines when he appeared to smile at the wake for 44 commandos who were killed in a disastrous anti-terror operation in country’s Muslim majority south.

But it was an earlier smiling incident that is perhaps better known to Hongkongers.

In the aftermath of the 2010 Manila hostage crisis – in which disgruntled former Philippine policeman Rolando Mendoza hijacked a bus of tourists, leading to the deaths of eight Hongkongers – Aquino attracted furious criticism after appearing to smile at a press conference.

To read the rest, please click on this link.

UPDATE as of 12:31 PM, April 21, 2015:

Here’s what victims of the bus hostage crisis said in reaction to Aquino’s explanation:

Smiling Benigno Aquino ‘ridiculous’ and ‘lacking empathy’, Manila hostage crisis survivors say

By Samuel Chan

[email protected]

Philippine President Benigno Aquino’s reason for smiling after the 2010 Manila hostage crisis in which eight Hongkongers died was “ridiculous”, survivors said, accusing him of lacking empathy.

Aquino attracted furious criticism after disgruntled former Philippine policeman Rolando Mendoza hijacked a tourist bus, leading to a deadly shoot-out with police, when he appeared to smile at a press conference following the incident.

But the Philippine president told the South China Morning Post in an exclusive interview published today that “it was the absurdity” that made him smile briefly at the time.

“Some people will curse, will shout to high heavens… [the smile] is an effort to control [my emotions and actions],” he said.

But two survivors of the crisis agreed that “ridiculous” was the first word that came to mind when they heard Aquino’s reason for smiling.

One of them, Lee Ying-chuen, said Aquino’s attitude over the past five years, including his latest explanation, showed he “lacked empathy”.

To read the rest, please click on this link.

 

Comments

  1. Good luck Pacman! Be safe everyone sa panonood sa “fight of the century.”

    Ayan feeler lang ang post ko.

    Alam ko, iwas post sa #50, dahil paglabas ng post #51, laglag agad yung ibang posts sa older comments page.

    ;-)

        • The blog owner (‘moderator’) just published this morning the temporarily shelved comments that were submitted prior to your previously apparent #100th comment pushing yours to the third page of the comments section of this blog post.

  2. Bakit Quasi Law?

    1. Quasi – noong 1959, 1935 Consittution pa lang ang available.

    2. Quasi – nagkakamot sila ng ulo kung papano nila mabibigyan ng decision na malabo ang 1935 Constitution.

    3. Quasi – noong kay Aguinaldo na, eh kahit na nandian na ang 1987 Constitution eh nagbulagbulagan sila at parang deadma lang na isnabin yung provision na klarado ng latest constitution para naman ma-abswelto si Aguinaldo kasi political accommodation din yan at para hwag na mag-coup ulit o di kaya eh maging sakit ng ulo ng gobyerno.

    4. Quasi – yung SC noon eh tamad at nangongopya pa rin ng sagotkahit iba na ang panahon at napagiwanan na ang 1935 Constitution.

    5. Quasi – nagsisimula na noon ang tinatawag na verdict for sale.

    6. Quasi – wala pang Fifth State noon na nagpupuna ng mga kamalian ng ating mga korte.

    7. Quasi – wala pang ang mga taga CPM noon na merong mga masisigasig na mga abogado at mga hindi abogado na marunong ng critical at creative reasoning para maibahagi sa mga Netizens ang mga opinyon na nababara ang mga palusot ng mga kurap na mga media, pulitiko, abogado, at mga hukom ng CA at SC!

    Parekoy

    04-28-2015

    • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurisprudence – some interesting theoretical stuff here:

      Jurisprudence is the study and theory of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, also known as legal theorists (including legal philosophers and social theorists of law), hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions. Modern jurisprudence began in the 18th century and was focused on the first principles of the natural law, civil law, and the law of nations.[1] General jurisprudence can be broken into categories both by the type of question scholars seek to answer and by the theories of jurisprudence, or schools of thought, regarding how those questions are best answered. Contemporary philosophy of law, which deals with general jurisprudence, addresses problems in two rough groups:[2]

      Problems internal to law and legal systems as such.
      Problems of law as a particular social institution as it relates to the larger political and social situation in which it exists.

      Answers to these questions come from four primary schools of thought in general jurisprudence:[2]

      Natural law is the idea that there are rational objective limits to the power of legislative rulers. The foundations of law are accessible through reason and it is from these laws of nature that human-created laws gain whatever force they have.[2]

      Legal positivism, by contrast to natural law, holds that there is no necessary connection between law and morality and that the force of law comes from some basic social facts. Legal positivists differ on what those facts are.[3]

      Legal realism is a third theory of jurisprudence which argues that the real world practice of law is what determines what law is; the law has the force that it does because of what legislators, barristers and judges do with it. Similar approaches have been developed in many different ways in sociology of law.

      Critical legal studies is a younger theory of jurisprudence that has developed since the 1970s. It is primarily a negative thesis that holds that the law is largely contradictory, and can be best analyzed as an expression of the policy goals of the dominant social group.[4]

      Also of note is the work of the contemporary Philosopher of Law Ronald Dworkin who has advocated a constructivist theory of jurisprudence that can be characterized as a middle path between natural law theories and positivist theories of general jurisprudence.[5]

      Panay jurisprudence ang nakikita kong pinag-uusapan dito, iilang araw na. Eh kung mga iba’t ibang saligang batas na rin lang ang pinag-uusapan, siguro’y karapat-dapat din tignan ang saligan ng mga iba’t-ibang batas at ruling, tapos ilagay ito sa lugar pagdating sa kanyang panahon at social context.

      Nasisiyahan ako sa nakikita kong diskusyon dito – hindi na parang Bible na inihandog sa Pilipino ang trato sa batas – hindi maaring itanong kung BAKIT, basta dapat sundan, OK dapat naman sundan pero dapat ding tignan kung ano saan ito bagay gamitin at kung ano ang saysay ng batas, hindi lang iyong salitang nakasulat. Dito ko nakikita na talagang lumalabas na ang Pilipinas sa postcolonial period, pinag-iisipan na ng mga iilan (o marami na ba hindi ko alam) kung ano ang karapat-dapat at makakabuti sa bansa. Maaring in 10 years maximum, wala na ang bulok na sistema – still hoping.

  3. In the last minute, PNoy asked Widodo to keep Mary Jane alive for her to serve as principal witness against her recruiter and uncover the drug syndicate responsible for smuggling of illegal drugs to Indonesia.

    Where did PNoy and his advisers got the idea that ultimately convinced Widodo to give reprieve to Mary Jane? As early as in the morning of Sunday, April 26, 2015, before PNoy left for Malaysia and met with Widodo, Raissa’s blog discussed such scheme @ 64 and 65 of the present article.

    http://raissarobles.com/2015/04/21/that-certain-smile/comment-page-2/#comment-289025

    But it was only in the morning of execution day, Tuesday, that PNoy had the opportunity to propose same scheme when the PNP got custody of the recruiter. Having understood the implication of such proposal and supervening event, Widodo convened his cabinet and decided to pursue the drug syndicate instead of executing the drug mule.

    Now, the NBI focuses on uncovering of the drug syndicate that victimized Mary Jane and on bringing PNoy’s promise to Widodo into reality.

    I am reminded of the words of Parekoy: “The power of the fifth estate.”

    • April 23 may report na ng aksiyon…

      Olalia said Veloso’s Indonesian lawyers were “very receptive” to the human trafficking-drug trafficking connection.

      He said the legal team would also need an official certification from the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Manila that a complaint regarding Veloso has been filed by her family against her supposed recruiter. They would also obtain the additional statements from similar victims, he added.

      Olalia explained that the Indonesian Supreme Court’s action on the second judicial review could come as early as one day after filing or as late as six months “theoretically but also based on precedents.”

      http://globalnation.inquirer.net/121240/lawyers-2nd-appeal-veloso-is-human-trafficking-victim/

      • (A Re-submission

        The second attempt for judicial review failed.

        Now in media, Sergio apparently ‘helped’ in Veloso’s reprieve of sentence by surrendering.

        “Credit-grabbers are always welcome. Thanks to them,” said Mang Bernie. “But the best thing that happened is that she’s alive,” he added.

  4. @ 93.1 Parekoy “Binay, ayan na, pwede ka ng umepal at angkinin ang kredito”…

    naunahan yata si nognog. from inquirer 29 april 2015

    “We are grateful for the solidarity and support of the Indonesian people and the rest of the world,” militant women’s group Gabriela said in a statement.

    Gabriela, however, slammed the last five-minute action of the Aquino government and its “five years of inaction that led to the situation.”

    The group said it was not President Aquino or Indonesian President Joko Widodo who saved Veloso.

    “The people saved Mary Jane, not Jokowi and certainly not Aquino,” the group said.

    Karapatan, on the other hand, said the temporary victory is due to the collective efforts of the Filipino people and the international community.

    “President Aquino has no moral authority to claim this victory as his doing, because is his goverment’s fault Mary Jane’s life was endangered in the first place,” Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay said.

    • Kalokohan iyong mga sinasabi nila, to talk straight. What do they mean it was the government’s fault? Mary Jane decided to be a drug mule by her own decision and if you go to another country you should know and respect the rules. What five years of inaction are Gabriela taking about? That is snake oil…

      And how did the PEOPLE save Veloso? It was Aquino offering to help Widodo find the people behind, plus Veloso willing to testify, plus the Indonesian flexibility to their Filipino brothers in this situation.

      I understand your point, epal na naman ang mga Gabriela at Karapatan. And plain stupid if you ask me.

      • Besides, with a name like that – Mary Jane – I would not smuggle drugs, suspect kaagad ako.

        Mary Grace would be a better cover. But our Mary Grace here has truly good moral character, sometime nomen est omen – names have a lot to do with what we become in life… :-)

      • . . . atta man NHerrera!

        Grabe siLA! PNoy pa rin ang last efforts to plead for reprieve. The Aussies did not, kasi ‘DEMAND’ ang message nila kay Pres. Jowoki! Paltos sila.

        Thanks Pres. Nonoy C. AQUINO III . . .!

        Only one ‘Gabriela’ ang matindi…si Silang asawa ni Dagohoy! Hindi sila mga grabe siLA!

        • Thanks. :-)

          BTW I am putting German translations on all my articles in my blog, then Filipino based on some constructive criticism. Plus I removed some rants and turned them constructive. :-)

        • I would like to copy paste one of our exchanges @ JoeAm’s blog re this topic, I hope Juana Pilipinas won’t mind:

          Juana Pilipinas says:
          April 27, 2015 at 7:16 am

          I agree on your take on all issues, Mary.

          My question is: Mary Jane’s case started in 2010. As the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFW) Concerns, how did this escape Binay’s attention? Why are people blaming the president? Why Binay acts like people need to thank him profusely for going to Indonesia last week? Isn’t that his job? Boy, did he drop the ball on this one or what?

          Mary Grace P. Gonzales says:
          April 27, 2015 at 9:22 am

          Come to think of it, yes, it’s part of his job, the part of his job that he seemingly neglected as his preoccupation is how to be elected President in 2016, to hop from one province to another establishing sister cities in the guise of doing another function – housing czar; and having himself photographed in boy scout attire, or in fatigue shorts and with bare hands, participate in boodle feasts with boy scouts and soldiers (Erap style)

          His PR manager is excellent, making him a knight in shining armor flying to this country or that, practically on the eve of the death sentence being implemented when, as you pointed out, he could have attended to it way back in 2010.

          And the nation of suckers believed, just look at his ratings, albeit sinking, but still on top way above Roxas, Cayetano or Trillanes.

          I need to go to the park and smell the flowers, as Joe has recommended.

        • philippines embassy in indonesia should have been mary jane’s 1st point of contact the moment she got in trouble. embassy officials should have been visiting mary jane in jail and see to her welfare, ensuring she is well represented, well treated and her rights respected.

    • I am so disgusted with Gabriela, et al. Everything Pnoy does is wrong. They should just be grateful that Mary Jane’s life has been spared for the moment. And where we they 5 years ago also? So sick of their same old tune. Anybody who becomes prez becomes their target for all things wrong in the country.

      It was Pnoy’s effort that tilted the balance and made Indonesia rethink it’s position, last minute or not.

  5. OFF TO THE RACES THEY GO

    Whether serious, spoilers, or whatever, Presidential/ Vice Presidential noises heard or heard only in whispers, including the “I was not offered yet” types:

    Binay — loud and clear since July 2010, and so in no hurry to resign from the Cabinet to prepare, since he has prepared since July 2010

    Poe — “I was not offered yet”

    Roxas — finally some noise

    Duterte — only testing waters on federalism, not really interested in the Presidency; TV adds are in evidence nevertheless

    Santiago — the old noises repeated

    Estrada — “I may be forced to …”

    Marcos — “Ready to dance with Binay if offered…”

    Cayetano — “”Will watch how the surveys go”; but TV adds are in evidence

    Trillanes — Made his noise earlier but much later than Binay; no one can beat the VP on that; the latter is called advance planning

    Lacson — “If I become President…”; A spoiler again?

    Villar — Joe America’s candidate. (Don’t reply just yet Joe; remember you are on vacation and enjoying the beach with the family.)

    • The games are soon to begin. For a position that has both enormous power and symbolic significance.

      I would like to repeat here an idea that I already mentioned at Joes: separate the power from the symbolic significance by having a Constitutional Monarch for the Philippines. It does not have to be Eddie Ramos, even if he does have a striking resemblance to Thai King Bhumibol. But the idea is worth thinking about, so that the symbolic and emotional stuff – being there to greet caskets, talking to the people – is separated from the real work to be done. Ideally, the Filipino raja must look good in uniform, must drive up with a Bentley or Maybach, and for showbiz should have a sister/daughter who sings…

      The raja or hari could also be a neutral arbiter in political crises, much like the Thai King, and an ensurer of continuity in a country that from my Euro view seems to lack it in many respects.

      • If you happened to watch the tv series, The Royals, in the latest episode, the King proposed a bill to get rid of the monarchy in Britain.

        ***

        But I know where you are coming from, a monarch loved by the people. Unfortunately, we have been through a lot of erring opportunistice politicians that we are resistant on that concept for they will be another white elephant and might even use their influence to further the riches of their Monarchy.

        ***

        The best way is for our DFA to be highly professionalized and the budget is enough so they can perform their work effectively and get rid of the political environment in that department.

        Communications department should really know how to communicate and not add into the confusion by conflicting press releases. Spins are ok but at least be consistent with the spins. Also they should not believe in their own propaganda for it has deleterious effect.

        • From what I have read elsewhere, DFA is becoming more professional now.

          The young FSOs I have met in recent years are formidable, high-powered pros.

          What can also work is to have a representative head (in Germany President) and a functional head (Prime Minister dito). Usually elder statesman na nirerespeto ang representative head.

          Problema lang, kung napakalakas ng functional head tulad ni Merkel ngayon, halos hindi na pinapansin ang representative head. And it is still not a cure against populist politicians – si Schröder ganoon, he now sits at Gazprom after approving some weird oil deals with Putin…

          As for communication – good and consistent communication is an art in itself, I am learning. Regarding that the masters of propaganda like Russians, Chinese and Binay are better…

        • Dateline Germany: merong major scandal dito ngayon. Nalaman na tinulungan ng BND (local CIA version) ang NSA para silipin ang ginagawa ng mga Pranses at ng EU sa Brussels.

          Wala raw alam si Merkel, hindi raw siya informed pero maraming hindi naniniwala sa kanya.

          Possible fall guy: Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière. But at least professional ang sagot: I cannot say anything because the documents available to me as of now are highly classified.

  6. @leona,

    THE ASSUMPTION
    OF CONDONATION
    DOES NOT APPLY
    TO JUNJUN BINAY

    You mentioned “legal fiction” here, didn’t you?

    Silos in his his re-examination of the doctrine already emphasized “conclusive presumption,” didn’t he?

    I, in my previous explanations in the vernacular, described the condonation for Binay as “haka-haka,” didn’t I? ( raissarobles.com/2015/04/08/dear-congressman-nograles-if-you-condemn-milfs-iqbal-for-using-an-alias-condemn-senator-jinggoy-and-mayor-estrada-too/comment-page-2/#comment-281727 , Read also #64 and #68 on the same page)

    Junjun, through his lawyers, insist he was condoned by the Makati electorate, didn’t he?

    Unfortunately for Junjun (and fortunately for me and whoever believes what I think is sound reasoning), the doctrine in the limelight now is so, so, so NOT applicable to him.

    Junjun is just delaying the inevitable of the OMB investigation.
    In the process of highlighting his alleged condonation by reelection,
    Is really doing an public indoctrination.

    He will not succeed…

    Simply because…

    In PREVENTIVELY SUSPENDING* (not a penalty as established by law and jurisprudence) a public official like in Binay’s case who has no record of misconduct whatsoever prior to his reelection, the public official may still be found out to have NO actual misconduct after the administrative investigations are through. Thus, NO condonation or forgiveness actually happened. His clean slate remains intact.

    But whatever will be found out after the administrative investigations are through which points to a clear, real, and actual misconduct will obviously merit him a condonation or forgiveness by way of the “condonation doctrine.” Surely, thereafter, there is/are now (a) ground(s) for the ongoing preliminary investigation (part of criminal proceedings in Binay’s case) to prosper and, with the evidence compiled, most likely will result to a finding of probable cause in order to file the required information to be submitted to the Sandiganbayan. The doctrine does not operate in criminal proceedings.

    As J. Leonen stressed, the OMB is like a law enforcer investigating and gathering pieces of evidence which might be used in both administrative and criminal proceedings. In the case of the OMB, the inherent power of the OMB to preventively suspend a public official like Binay takes precedence…WITHOUT interference even from the Supreme Court as long as the OMB is not gravely abusing its authority.

    —–
    *Please refer to RA 6770

      • Seems Certeza and Coronel brought poor Binay in a “fine pickle” of a situation then. Ayan ang problema sa masyadong nag-aabilidad. “Ay, mali!” Abangan.

    • ha ha ha

      [email protected], the threads here are pre-empting the COURT OF APPEALS 6th Div with their injunction and TRO. Those 3 justices are just about to support Junjun Binay’s lawyers’ theory which is unbelievable.They won’t have a chance to finally come out with it, because the SC will pre-empt them also on it, like the CPMers’.

      • The Court of Appeals 6th Division TRO Resolution (subsequently, a writ of preliminary injunction for an indefinite period) granted to Junjun Binay practically hampered the OMB administrative investigation…

        Particularly the preventive measure of temporarily suspending him while documentary evidence are being looked into and testimonial evidence are being collected WHILE Junjun’s mayoral power and influence are set aside for six (6) months.

        Instead of filing a motion to the OMB to reconsider its order of preventive suspension, Junjun went straight to the CA.

        Earlier, the OMB Special Panel of Investigators on Binay’s case had concluded that Junjun must be preventively suspended. The Ombudsman gave the preventive suspension order because the evidence is strong enough to say that Junjun is guilty of (an) administrative liability(ies) AND that possible removal from office will be rendered.

        Why is he afraid to step down temporarily? Why is he afraid of the OMB administrative investigation?

        It is because if you add to the initial OMB undertaking (of preventively suspending him) the fact that the Ombudsman already formed a Special Panel of Prosecutors (names are kept secret at this time) to already start the preliminary investigation on (a) possible criminal liability(ies) of Junjun, then the criminal proceedings will be facilitated.

        Junjun Binay is ‘delaying the game.’

        Junjun Binay is preempting his fate…which may be similar to Albay’s Manito town’s mayor. Similar in a sense that while the administrative liability had been proven moot and academic the possible criminal liability still exists:

        MANILA – A former mayor of Manito town in Albay was ordered charged with graft, along with five others, by the Ombudsman for the alleged anomalous disbursement of P3 million in fertilizer funds, but her administrative liability was deemed mooted by her re-election.

        Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the filing of a criminal Information against ex-Mayor Carmencita Daep of Manito, Albay, as well as two officials of the town’s Bids and Awards Committee – Chairman Dioscoro Ardales and Vice-Chairman Roberto Alvarez – and two BAC members, Arnold Calsiña and Ernesto Millena.

        Daep’s administrative liability was deemed to have become moot and academic in view of her reelection to the same position in 2004, according to the resolution of the Ombudsman.

        http://www.interaksyon.com/article/109400/ombudsman-raps-ex-albay-mayor-5-others-over-fertilizer-scam

  7. Bits N Bytes

    Lacson: I’d send corrupt friends to jail if I were president

    Court seizes Estrada properties, finds only P70 K in bank accounts ( PDI 4/28/15)

    Lacson’s pronouncement runs counter to PNoy’s lucky KKK friends who should also be in jail now. Remember Sevilla’s exasperation on many calls/ intercession of influential KKK officials that led to his early resignation from the BOC?

    The graft court should have earlier issued freeze orders on the bank accounts of jinggoy & Co. Or the Ombudsman should have earlier recommended the freezing of properties of those charged with plunder simultaneous with the issuance of warrants of arrest.

    It seems the interest of the government has been overlooked by neglect or by design.

    • Reminds me of my favorite city mayor. Jackpot plus Justice via the Condonation Doctrine. But not so nice job, Certeza and Coronel. Hahaha.

  9. yvonne,

    In a teaser to your main piece — still to be posted, and eagerly awaited by me at least — on the Condonation Doctrine, you wrote something far below which I wish to be clarified on (old man here needs to be corrected if wrong in my reading).

    Say, we are talking of a Mayor elected in Period 1. Towards the end of Period 1, he is FINALLY convicted of administrative misconduct. In spite of this he is re-elected as Mayor in the immediately succeeding Period 2. Since the sufficiency requirements (per your theory?),

    – Final conviction in Period 1; which is also proof positive that the electorate knows of his misconduct; and

    – his re-election

    are fulfilled, then the Condonation Doctrine as presently defined in the Philippines applies. Meaning the electorate has pardoned him of the administrative misconduct in Period 1 or condoned his misconduct through re-election.

    On the other hand if he is NOT FINALLY convicted in Period 1, his re-election does not pardon him or condone him of his misconduct (in fact, absent such conviction, it is debatable if the electorate knows of his misconduct.)

    Have I read you correctly?

    • Yes, in essence that is correct. But the pardon only goes so far as his being prevented from being removed from office. The pardon does not absolve him of any criminal liability.

      I already submitted the final version of my piece to Raissa but it is still an open question if it could be posted as a guest blog.

      • x x x if he is NOT FINALLY convicted in Period 1x x x’ by NHerrera above.

        Will not the Mayor ‘appeal’ the ‘unfinal’ conviction? How long will a decision on that appeal last? 2 years? Or 3 years? If the latter, TAPOS na ang ‘term’ niya?

        [email protected] . . you brought up this condonation exposition on April 24th. Now it is April 29th. And why will you be as a ‘guest’ to bring it out here? What do you mean by that?

        Baka ma unahan ka ni Pres. Didodo…bawi-in yun condonation kay mary jane! ha ha ha

        • The correct term really is “final conviction” which is what I have written in the post NHerrera was referring to. In that context I did not correct his use of “finally convicted” which is also correct but vague in the sense that it can be have different interpretations.

          finally convicted (convicted on final appeal) – pangwakasang nahatulan na may sala
          finally convicted (convicted at last) – sa wakas ay nahatulan din na may sala

          The first one was what NHerrera meant.
          The second one is how you read it.

          I’m not sure what you meant on the last part of your comment. If you’re asking why I keep posting on the condonation issue, I previously stated that I want to keep this issue front and center until the SC comes out with its decision on its case. (Or until NHerrera gets tired of my comments on the subject, whichever comes first. :-) ) I wrote a personal opinion on the subject and I was just wondering IF IT COULD be posted as a guest blog (that is a big IF IT COULD). I just turn very active and motivated commenter when it comes to the subject of the judiciary, and my favorite are the Sandiganbayan and SC. ;-)

        • Actually nabasa mo na. Yun yung #82 at #78, dinagdagan ko lang ng kunti, pero yun na yun. :-)

          Nag-ala IBRS lang ako sa pag-post. LOL!

        • @leona,

          Knowing how good an investigative journalist Raissa is, she probably have a lawyer review my article, and can it, to save me from embarassment.

          LOL!

  10. Bantay.ph, a civil society organization that draws citizen participation in demanding good government is seeking student volunteers to go undercover in monitoring the goings on in the city halls of Metro Manila this summer.

    You may know young people who would want to get involved.

    From https://www.facebook.com/bantay.ph
    Join us this summer as we go undercover and monitor the city halls of Metro Manila.
    Be part of our biggest data collection activity to date and help us solve the problem of corruption.
    Volunteer requirements:
    1. Must be able to attend the orientation on May 4, (Monday), 2-5pm at San Sebastian College.
    2. Must have 3 weekdays (between 10am-1pm or 9am-12.00) free for monitoring.
    3. Must be able to attend the debriefing session on May 27.
    4. Must be comfortable approaching people for survey purposes.
    You can join with your friends so you can monitor together. Interested? Email [email protected] with your name, contact details (mobile number and e-mail address).

  12. Thank you for allowing me to participate.

    Have you heard that some business leaders have come out to express their support for a Poe Presidency? Last monday, I heard ( together with my driver) a radio announcer say that the Sys, Gokongweis, Ramon Ang and Danding Cojuangco have thrown their support behind Grace Poe. If I was not dreaming ( my driver also heard the news), this is truly unprecedented. I think the annoiunvers were Deo Macalma and Joe Taruc but am not too sure as I was swirtching radio stations.

    Can someone confirm that this is true?

    • To early to tell, la.
      But stick around here. You will learn a lot from the others. WELCOME to Cyber Plaza Miranda.

    • Huli man daw at magaling naihahabol din.

      Dahil sa pagkahuli kay Ma. Cristina Sergio, ang suspek recruiter ni Mary Jane Veloso, ay nagkaron si PNoy ng maihahain na “reasonable doubt” sa kaso ni Veloso. Dahil dito nagkaron din si President Jokowi Widodo ng rason na ipagpaliban muna ang pagbitay kay Veloso, at saka di nagmukhang brinaso lang or pinagpilitan ni PNoy na i-pressure si Widodo ng walang rason at mawalan ng respeto o integridad sa mga Indonesians.

      Sana tuloy-tuloy na ang magandang pangyayari ka Veloso at naway makalaya na sya. Pero kailangan madaliin ang pag-usad ng kaso doon sa recruiter otherwise eh magbibilang pa ng taon si Veloso sa kulungan.

      ***

      Lessons learnt

      1. Naipapakita rito na kung gagawin talaga ang trabaho ng mga imbestigador at mga abogado eh disinsanay di na umabot pa sa photo-finish ang sinapit ni Veloso.

      2. 2010 pa ang kaso at ngayon lang nagkaron ng tunay na sigasig sa pagsisiyasat dahil kahihiyan na ni PNoy ang nakataya at maging blackeye na naman sa kanyang presidency.

      3. Pano naman ang mahigit na 800 na mga nakasalang na bibitayin?

      4. OFWs at travelers-pasiguro kayo sa mga padala. Kung di sigurado eh di hwag dahil mabuti ng mawalan ng kaibigan kaysa mawalan ng kalayaan o di kaya buhay.

      Salamat Aquino.

      Binay, ayan na, pwede ka ng umepal at angkinin ang kredito…

    • Huli man daw at magaling naihahabol din.

      Dahil sa pagkahuli kay Ma. Cristina Sergio, ang suspek recruiter ni Mary Jane Veloso, ay nagkaron si PNoy ng maihahain na “reasonable doubt” sa kaso ni Veloso. Dahil dito nagkaron din si President Jokowi Widodo ng rason na ipagpaliban muna ang pagbitay kay Veloso, at saka di nagmukhang brinaso lang or pinagpilitan ni PNoy na i-pressure si Widodo ng walang rason at mawalan ng respeto o integridad sa mga Indonesians.

      Sana tuloy-tuloy na ang magandang pangyayari ka Veloso at naway makalaya na sya. Pero kailangan madaliin ang pag-usad ng kaso doon sa recruiter otherwise eh magbibilang pa ng taon si Veloso sa kulungan.

      ***

      Lessons learnt

      1. Naipapakita rito na kung gagawin talaga ang trabaho ng mga imbestigador at mga abogado eh disinsanay di na umabot pa sa photo-finish ang sinapit ni Veloso.

      2. 2010 pa ang kaso at ngayon lang nagkaron ng tunay na sigasig sa pagsisiyasat dahil kahihiyan na ni PNoy ang nakataya at maging blackeye na naman sa kanyang presidency.

      3. Pano naman ang mahigit na 800 na mga nakasalang na bibitayin?

      4. OFWs at travelers-pasiguro kayo sa mga padala. Kung di sigurado eh di hwag dahil mabuti ng mawalan ng kaibigan kaysa mawalan ng kalayaan o di kaya buhay.

      Salamat Aquino.

    • Huli man at magaling naihahabol din!

      Photo finish!

      Though it was like in the movies with all the suspense gripping the nation. While the clock was ticking, Aquino’s men rounding up the alleged recruiter and booked, Aquino did have something on the plate to offer Pres. Widodo so he can have a valid reason for the stay of execution.

      __

      Hahabol din daw si Binay sa kredito…

      _

      Na groggy si Aquino doon sa pag-resign ni Sevilla pero salamat Aquino at naiwasan mo ang isa sanang mala-Pacman na uppercut pag natuloy yung pagbitay kay Veloso.

      ***
      Mukhang primed na ako sa laban ni Pacman, yung iba kong kaibigan magdadala na ng mga isdang lulutuin at pulutan at ako naman ang bahala sa bumabahang inumin!

      Go Pacman!

      • Parekoy, pay per view na rin kami sa Sabado sa laban ni Pacman. Mag iihaw-ihaw since spring naman at ang weather ay nakikisama. Kahit papaano medyo nakikilala ang Pilipinas dahil kay Manny.

        • Kung 500usd lang sana ang ticket sa vegas tuloy kami ng mga kaibigan ko, kaso 5,000usd eh wala pang available, kahit pa manalo si pacman eh bugbug na ang bulsa, kaya sa payperview na lang.

          Tong-its, poker, laklak, kantahan, bolahan, etc. Enjoy habang naghihintay ng laban.

          Dehado pero mas okay para kay pacman kasi mas maingat kaysa llamado eh baka madale at gayahin ni Bieber ang pagbagsak ni pacman.

          Prediction ko eh madalang ang aksyon kasi parang di boksing yan kundi habulan. Kaya ang sabi ni Roach, ‘You better train your legs and endurance like you are joining the New York Marathon for you will be running after this coward Mayweather!’…oops sabi pala yon nong john holmes na ipis, ‘Cockroach’.

          Go Pacman!

        • Ako walang cable TV, hindi ako interesado sa maraming programa kaya hindi ko pinakabit, kaya sa “Sports Bar” na lang ako manood. Tignan ko kung ipapakita nila sa Schiller Cafe – akala mo literary cafe, pero sa simula ito ng red-light and gambling district of Munich, Schillerstraße is the stripper street while Goethestraße is the gambling street, kawawa iyong mga dalawang famous German poet. Iyong isang Hotel na Turko, Goethe Hotel ang pangalan, ipinagmamalaki nilang may lahing Turko si Goethe via Austrian nobility and Ottoman Empire intermarriage. Iyong dalawang tindahan ng gulay sa dalawang panig ng Goethestr., parehong Turko ang may hawak pero matitinding magkakaaway ang dalawa. Si Cavusoglu lang ang maalala ko ang pangalan, normal kapitbahay ko halos dito…

          Ang Schiller Cafe katabi halos ng München Hauptbahnhof, iyong dating may-ari na kaibigan ni Ali patay na, puro picture ng mga old fights, famous boxing gloves ewan kung kasama din doon iyong mga gloves ni Hans Schmeling at ni Muhammad Ali, tignan ko pagpunta ko bukas para itanong. Iyong mga waiter tipong bouncer o former boxers lahat, pero iyong pinakadelikado doon iyong isang payat na kahawig ni Rod Stewart, parang bakal siya kung makipaghandshake. Hindi na masyadong delikado doon ngayon, wala na iyong mga bugaw na kumokolekta at “dumidisiplina” sa kanilang mga hawak, ewan ko kung nandoon pa iyong itim na nagtitinda ng fake at second-hand na Swiss watches na galing sa mga sugarol na nangangailangan ng pera.

          Hangout na ng mga turistang Ingles at Australian na panay ang inom at panood ng football o kaya boxing, baka sa dami ng turistang Amerikano ipalabas nila ang laban ni Manny at Money. Iyong Bombay na nagbebenta ng rosas sa turistang may kasamang mga babae, tiyak na nandoon pa rin, pati iyong black American na bartender. Iyong mga strip club at sugalan, unti-unting napapalitan na ng mga modern hotel, pati iyong dating murder commission ng Munich Police umalis na doon dahil hindi na talaga kailangan. Noong 1970s daw talagang patayan doon, nilinis ng siyudad hanggang recently panay ang raid, rumor says na iyong nagsimula ng paglinis nadenggoy sa isang establishment noon…

        • Max Schmeling pala. There are some old reports from German papers about the match between Max Schmeling and the brown bomber Joe Louis, on the walls near the stairs going down to the toilet. And numerous pictures of Muhammad Ali everywhere.

          Also some references to the Munich boxer known as Hammer-Schorsch or Neger-Schorsch (Nigger George) due to his being the son of a black American GI…

        • are you sure the match will be shown at Schiller Cafe? I’ve asked some pubs in our area if they are showing this Manny Paquiao-Mayweather boxing match during the week-end. they all said “Manny who?” nakakainsulto pa. Sana manalo si Paquiao nang makilala nang tuluyan dito sa europa. a week ago, Klitschko had a bout with an american boxer in NY (at Madison Garden), it was not a convincing win by Klitschko at mukhang nilangaw yata. kulang ng manonood except for the home fans who were rooting for the american boxer. didn’t catch his name. Klitschko won by unanimous decision. anyway, munich can be reached from our place in 3 or so hours by train. biro lang. i don’t want to get lost in a strip club. Viel vergnügen wünsch ich Dir!

        • I don’t know, have to ask. But here in Munich they are more aware of international stuff, Pacquiao-Mayweather was for example mentioned in the local tabloid Abendzeitung. I wouldn’t watch in a strip club either, fortunately Schiller Cafe isn’t…

          But the Hauptbahnhof area is not really nice for women at night, and not clean – there are probably more cigarette butts lying around there than in Singapore. Not as bad as Frankfurt or Hannover though – auf jeden Fall Danke schön und bis bald!

        • @Irineo he-he-he! you don’t think i’m serious of going to münchen and make istambay somewhere near München Hbf in the early morning hours. i was just kidding. i wouldn’t get caught myself late hours in any Hauptbahnhof. kakatakyot! not even in stuttgart where it’s ruhiger. anyway, i just found out that my favorite Irish Pub near our place is offering Public viewing. provided you order plenty of Guiness Beer from 12 midnight to 4 AM. By the time the boxing fight comes, you would fall asleep from drinking plenty of beer.

        • @pelang, of course, I knew that you were kidding… Kaya lang, the fight starts at 5 a.m. which is usually Putzstunde (cleaning time), Schiller Cafe did not get a permit to extend opening hours, the black American bartender just told me…

          No places that are open 5 a.m. in München, Stuttgart siguro ganoon din, you only have 24 hour places in Hamburg and especially Berlin, malayo talaga…

        • . . . puede ba mag SKYPE kami, naka tutok yun video cam sa TV fight na yan while viewing on their TV on pay/per/view relayed to me on SKYPE? Tipid lang naman. . .

          he he

        • @ leona,

          Thanks for this tip of using SKYPE. My daughter and her family will be watching the fight on a pay per view with other families from San Diego area. They’ll be sharing at least $ 20.00 per family. She was asked to bring abodo as their share in the pot luck gathering. Probably I’ll request here to use FACE TIME so I can view it in where ever place I want to go. It’s easier for my wife too to watch it through FACE TIME.
          Thanks again.

    • Other than the very arrogant Singaporeans and the almost equally arrogant Malaysians, my impression not only here but also in other matters I have personally seen is that the Indonesians at least seem to see the Filipinos as their somewhat wayward brothers. They spared only her, executed all others.

      • We may not know now the prime reason for the reprieve — it may be clearer later, we hope — but now that you said it, I sensed the camaraderie between Indonesians and Filipinos as against the Singaporeans or Malaysians from my own experience. Sharp observation, Irineo.

        • I remember making some “chika” with Indonesian colleagues during the Asean-EC ministerial meeting in Düsseldorf in 1988. We were comparing our vocabularies.

          The first ten numbers in Bahasa match more with the first ten numbers in Bikol – Bikol also has “ini” like Bahasa does. Tagalog counting they said reminds them more of Javanese. There could be a link – Bahasa has a simple grammar while Javanese from what I have heard has an even more complex grammar than Tagalog. And class divisions reflected in the language – http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/323764/Kromo:

          “…and Balinese—have developed a linguistic reflection of social stratification. Javanese uses three speech levels, distinguished by choice of vocabulary. The primary distinction is between Kromo, a high form used when speaking to social superiors, and Ngoko, a low or neutral form used when speaking to social equals or inferiors. ”

          What remains in Tagalog is “po”, according to something I once read it was once “po co”, meaning apo ko or “my elder” which was shortened with time. And according to linguist Dr. Helen Samson-Lauterwald, old Tagalog also had “high class” and “low class” vocabulary. Buntis is colloquial, nagdadalang-tago is formal according to her.

          Filipinos who have been in Indonesia have told me Bahasa can be learned in two months by a Filipino from nearly any region if immersed into it, with simple grammar. Possibly the Davao style of Cebuano with Tagalog words could be an easy to learn lingua france for the Philippines, being simpler in grammar than complex Tagalog – the prime example for me being Sara Duterte saying “asan sherip?” then hitting him. :-)

        • Funny thing that happened though was that when I was on the toilet, sorry bathroom I must be careful not to use the bastos form of English, there was a planned walk-out by all ASEAN delegates and staff when the EC (hindi pa EU noon) mentioned the East Timor issue with the Dutch leading. I asked the Euro staff in the other room where is everybody they said they walked out, hinanap ko iyong mga Pilipino colleagues ko and I found them in the Chinese restaurant where I expected them to be – marami sa kanilang hindi makatiis kung walang rice – and being a 23 year-old Embassy casual doing the IT and word processing stuff, I did not directly ask “bakit ninyo ako iniwan?” but just said “o andito pala kayo, hindi ko alam na mag-wa-walkout pala tayo”. Sabi ng isang Bikolana attache na nagpasok sa akin, Bodoy ganyan talaga ang sistema diyan.

          Kasama ako sa secretarial staff noon, ako iyong pinatrabaho nila sa pag-edit ng mga communique dahil mabilis ako mag-type. Ako ang nag-type, iyong Singapoh lady ang nag-re-read ng isang copy, iyong Malaysian lady ang nag-co-read ng pangalawang kopya para walang mali – in communiques every word is sensitive and can lead to altercations. I used the Word for DOS 3.0 I had just learned at a training from the German Foreign Office where the Philippine Embassy sent me.

          Interesting thing also was that the mid-level staff prepared everything in a pre-meeting the week before the real AEMM. The bigshots came the week after. Guess who the worst-organized and least participating group were on the ASEAN side – not the Filipino, is was the Thais. Indonesians worked quietly and efficiently, they were the ones mostly spoken to by the Germans dahil alam ang salita…

        • Mas radikal pa ang opinyon ko diyan. Some kurap politicians are like cockroaches.

          Para hindi na dirty kitchen ang Pilipinas, kailangan mawala muna ang ipis.

          Huwag gamitan ng Baygon por favor. Palabasin lang sa kusina.

        • Walang Baygon-baygon, inaapakan ko lang ang mga yan, at presto patay ang ipis!

          If we could only do that to our kurap politicians…

          :)

        • Hindi na papatay yan sa apakan. Kailangan DUROG!

          Kaya lang KALAT yun ‘juice’ yan sa floor. Gastos sa toilet/tissue paper sa ganda ng tile-flooring mo.

          Ano ang dapat? i- Johnson WAX mo ang floor. Dulas sila! Parang nag ‘ice-skating.’ Na hi-hilo sila!

        • For almost a year I had four Indonesians – all Muslims – and other southeast Asian students as classmates and dorm mates in Europe. Of course Filipinos usually gravitate to Asians. And among Asians the Indonesians were closest to me and vice versa. Maybe it helped that Filipinos almost always topped the previous classes. I could sense that Indonesians admired Filipinos.

          Indeed Indonesians in other classes always teased me in a friendly manner. One senior student would always ask whenever we met “Rene, what happened to Kwan? Where is Kwan? How do you kwan the kwan? When would you Kwan?” He was referring to the habit of Filipinos to say “kwan” when uncertain. One time they even asked my company in touring the most famous district in Amsterdam. It was during Ramadan and they requested me not to tell anybody about it. Anyway that was decades ago.

          So I think Widodo was really looking for the slightest opportunity to yield to the request of PNoy. That was when Christina Sergio came into the custody of the PNP at the niche of time.

        • Rene-Ipil,

          You toured that famous district in Amsterdam too? Now don’t make that excuse — “Anyway that was decades ago.” Hahaha.

        • The Indonesians sound almost like Pinoys – Psst Holy Week (ay Ramadan pala) ngayon bawal, huwag mong sabihin kahit kanino ha? Si Rene-Ipil, siyempre sabit lang iyan, nakikisama lang… :-)

        • Hehe, noong casual ako sa Philippine Embassy – more than 25 years ago iyon, many of the involved are retired or dead now – iyong “tour guide” ng mga pulitikong Pilipino “on junket” sa gabi, isang born-again Christian para hindi ma-tempt…

          The day after, tawanan kami sa loob habang kinukuwento niya kung sino ang pumasok sa “Zimmer” at hindi. Op kors I porgot all de tails already… :-)

        • Si Governor Romeo Salalima of Albay, siguradong hindi dahil sinamahan ko siyang pumunta sa ibang siyudad dahil may dinalaw siyang kaibigan doon.. Nagulat siya sa mga tren dahil eksakto ang dating at pag-alis… :-)

        • But I think that stuff was just a holdover in the early post-Marcos period, marami pang mga old-school people noon at maraming loyalist. Remember it is mid-to-late 1980s I am talking about, 1990s wala na akong narinig na ganyan.

          In the 1990s some honorary consulates over here stopped doing the Embassy the favor of picking up relatives or children of politicians from the airport. Embassy stopped asking for that favor after a while, never heard of that happening again.

          Certain things simply go out of fashion with time. Just like smoking is no longer cool, in fact one can come across as vulgar to many nowadays – my experience.

        • Or an Indonesian wayang kulit play? A ewan. Tama na muna iyong pagkukulit ko rito..

        • Yes. In the nick of time. Pinoy na Pinoy ang dating. Pero hindi lang Pinoy. In the latest episode of “The Blacklist,” tutuluyan na sana si Reddington pero biglang may tumawag sa phone sabay alis ng mga killers.

        • Like I wrote above, the sense of humor – even the body language – is very similar.

          My sister who grew up almost entirely in Germany – she was 5 years old then – and is quite independent-minded and Western in attitude, says that in Southeast Asia, the men who are most annoying in terms of going after women are Filipinos and Indonesians. In Indonesia, they often referred to her as “Jakarta girl”. Well, she is German mestiza and 5 feet 7 like me, so they thought she could be a Dutch-Indonesian mestiza, a type they do have in Jakarta.

        • prime reason? . . . there is a DEEP DOUBT . . . not deep south.

          Thank you very much for the REPRIEVE to Ms. Veloso Pres. Widodo! You have COMPASSION!

          Thank you.

      • The commonality between the Indonesians and Filipinos is that both have multitudeof OFWs serving in Malaysia and Singapore as domestic helps. Indonesians are aware that most Filipina DH are college educated and better in English.

        Indonesians look up at the Filipino middle managers and engineers in the construction industry and fabrication industry of Malaysia and Singapore for the Filipinos are fair and respectful of Indonesians, Burmese, Banglas, Laotians, and other nationalities and they view Filipinos as Kuya and one of the boys, thus the impression is extended in their home countries.

        Our OFWs are great ambassadors all over the world.

        Pag may itinanim may aanihin.

        ***

        I think the current opinion, Heinous Crimes, by Michael Tan of Inquirer in revisiting death penalty is veiled as an effort to highlight the movement for abolition of death penalty in Indonesia. I think Michael could have waited and can discuss that later and let the euphoria due to granting a lease of life for our fellow citizen linger and enjoy our moment.

        • Thanks – that is an interesting input to Manong Sonny’s and my Philippine history project.

          Sa tingin ko, under-reported ang impluwensiya ng mga OFW sa current Philippine history.

          Pero sa tingin ko, reciprocal iyang process na iyan, meron ding mga nationality na iba talaga.

          Halimbawa sa projects ko, Romanians at Bulgarians ang na-supervise ko, iyong mga Romanians kailangan bantayan dahil tamad at manloloko minsan pero may utang na loob, Bulgarians kahit anong gawin mo talagang kakagatin ka, para kang nagtamo ng isang ahas…

          Mga Indonesian tulad ng Pilipino iyan, mga “orang baik” (taong mabait), maski iyong mga Indo na nakasama ng Tatay ko sa isang taon noong 1960s sa pag-aaral sa Leiden, Netherlands – center iyon for Malay studies – nakakasundo niya rin. Observation niya noong araw na ang Indonesian state, mas may plano talaga. Iyong mga Philippine Embassies hanggang ngayon rented pa rin (halos?) lahat, Indonesia binibili na nila ang bahay at lote noong 1960s pa lang. Kahit matindi ang “korupsi” sa Indonesia mas malakas pa kahit noon pa iyong estado nila.

    • She is needed alive.

      From GMA Network your link:

      A spokesman for Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office said the execution of Veloso was postponed after Maria Kristina Sergio, the recruiter who allegedly tricked her into bringing a suitcase laden with 2.6 kilograms of heroin to Indonesia on April 2010, turned herself in to authorities on Tuesday.

      In a text message to media, Tony Spontana, the spokesman for Indonesia’s Attorney General said: “There was a request from the Philippine president regarding the perpetrator who’s suspected of committing human trafficking and surrendered in the Philippines. MJ is needed for her testimony.”

      Widodo had called for an emergency meeting with his officials on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Veloso case after Sergio surfaced. Before that, President Benigno Aquino III proposed to the Indonesian government that Veloso be turned into a witness to identify the criminal group that used her to transport illegal drugs.

      “We presented [to Indonesia] that it seems to serve both of our interests to keep her [Veloso] alive to be able to testify and serve the ends of justice for both our concerns,” Aquino told reporters in Malaysia.

      “She does present an opportunity right now to be able to uncover all the participants and start the process of bringing them to the bars of justice. Absent her, that becomes very difficult,” he added.

      More from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/478106/news/nation/mary-jane-veloso-spared-from-execution

      • baycas,

        We see here (my interpretation) the nice workings of government and its instrumentality behaving like humans would.

        Given their firmness on the other convicts executed in spite of appeal of the governments of Australia, etc, President Widodo and the Indonesian Supreme Court itself have to have good rationale for the reprieve. And the following quote from your note,

        Widodo had called for an emergency meeting with his officials on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Veloso case after Sergio surfaced. Before that, President Benigno Aquino III proposed to the Indonesian government that Veloso be turned into a witness to identify the criminal group that used her to transport illegal drugs.

        “We presented [to Indonesia] that it seems to serve both of our interests to keep her [Veloso] alive to be able to testify and serve the ends of justice for both our concerns,” Aquino told reporters in Malaysia.

        gives a PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT for the reprieve, besides preserving the rightful PRIDE of the Indonesian President and the Indonesian Supreme Court to be firm in their policies against drug trafficking.

        Hooray for President Aquino and hooray for President Widodo and the Indonesian Supreme Court.

        • This shows that the Indonesian Supreme Court made aware of a good argument such as I quoted from your note above, rises to its best light. I have confidence that our own Supreme Court, made acutely aware of the ridiculousness of the Condonation Doctrine in the context of the 1987 Constitution, will also rise to its best light.

        • A legal requirement more than anything else. If later proven she did something wrong, she may still undergo the harsh punishment.

        • Yes, I agree. But there is the nice touch about the way President Aquino offered his practical suggestion to help in delving more into the drug syndicate angle; and the fact that President Aquino was emphatic that Indonesian-Philippine relationship will not be marred by this matter — unlike the threat Prime Minister Abbott used: the possibility of ruining the trade relationship between the Australia and Indonesia, which undoubtedly, especially to the Asian ears, leaves a bad taste.

        • . . . if the Indonesian authorities catches the ‘captains, majors, colonels or the head financiers of the drug syndicates in Indonesia, MJ being only a ‘maid-to-be-small fry’ may get a mitigating mercy and sent back home SOON after that. I hope this will all be fruitful as anticipated.

          Good luck MJ! More prayers to you.

        • btw…just an idea in anticipation. . .

          All the Townfolks of the town where MJ comes from should ALL BE HAVING LAST NAMES ‘VELOSO’ . . . so any syndicate members out to take Kins will have difficulty.

          Even the town Mayor etc. and Cops should have VELOSO as last name.

        • May “momentum” yata ang mga magandang nangyayari. Pagkatapos kaya ng panalo ni Pacman? Pero 30 days ang binigay ng SC sa magkabila na mag-submit ng kanilang memoranda, kaya maghihintay pa tayo. Pero malaki ang paniwala ko na mag-ho-hooray din tayo sa SC.

      • Yes! True to all. Kaya lang, asusin naman dito ang mga DRUG LORDS lalo na yun convicted na! Eh . . . they move inside our prisons like DRUG KINGS! No more to that!

        Policemen and Prosecs, improve the evidence before our courts, no acquittals due to technicalities etc.

        Help our justice system.

    • She is needed alive.

      A spokesman for Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office said the execution of Veloso was postponed after Maria Kristina Sergio, the recruiter who allegedly tricked her into bringing a suitcase laden with 2.6 kilograms of heroin to Indonesia on April 2010, turned herself in to authorities on Tuesday.

      In a text message to media, Tony Spontana, the spokesman for Indonesia’s Attorney General said: “There was a request from the Philippine president regarding the perpetrator who’s suspected of committing human trafficking and surrendered in the Philippines. MJ is needed for her testimony.”

      Widodo had called for an emergency meeting with his officials on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Veloso case after Sergio surfaced. Before that, President Benigno Aquino III proposed to the Indonesian government that Veloso be turned into a witness to identify the criminal group that used her to transport illegal drugs.

      “We presented [to Indonesia] that it seems to serve both of our interests to keep her [Veloso] alive to be able to testify and serve the ends of justice for both our concerns,” Aquino told reporters in Malaysia.

      “She does present an opportunity right now to be able to uncover all the participants and start the process of bringing them to the bars of justice. Absent her, that becomes very difficult,” he added.

      More from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/478106/news/nation/mary-jane-veloso-spared-from-execution

      • Sorry for multiple entries.

        As I said in the past, one needs to press the refresh button several times to make latest comments appear.

        Must be heavy traffic? Must be tracking cookies? Must be anything…

        • It’s the cookies tracker but I’ll have to thank Raissa; while reading her blog I found out that the jacket I was lusting for went on SALE ♥
          Danke Ms. Raissa .

  14. Yesss… Pacquiao-Mayweather is all over the German media now. Means I will find a place to watch it…

    No way I am paying 30 EUR for one-time Pay TV coverage and they have my data – that ain’t happening.

    • So its not possible to connect the output coming from the cable box to a dvr or dvd recorder to capture the PayTV feed?

      • I have neither a cable box, nor a dvr or dvd recorder. Just digital TV that’s it. The Pay TV feed is coded. Wouldn’t want any contact with people who crack that either. DRM lawyers really go after you here…

        What I will do is find a place where they like to show sports events and ask the owner if Pacquiao will be on TV. It will be 3 a.m. Sunday morning Euro time, so it will have to be some gambler’s hangout. But that doesn’t matter because that is exactly the right kind of atmosphere to watch a boxing match.

  15. it is the duty of the court to interpret and apply the law. ang problema ay magkaiba ang set of human values of our justices on how to interpret and apply such law. kailangang depensahan nila ang kanilang kleyente kahit mali ito pilitin na maging tama.

    can comelec impose and screen the moral set of values sa lahat na lokal & national candidates?