Ka-Blog!

It was an interesting day yesterday.  The Supreme Court en banc heard Ka Satur’s petition for certiorari against the arrest warrant the Regional Trial Court of Hilongos, Leyte issued in connection with the so-called mass grave of suspected NPA deep penetration agents.

            I initially had trouble going in because my name wasn’t listed down as among those who would be allowed in.  And because the Court had to hold the hearing at the old and smaller hall, they further cut down the list to 50.  So many in the list were not allowed in.  But after waiting for some time, I braved going in using senatorial candidate Koko Pimental as my chapa.  But when asked by the guards whether I was with him, he denied me like Peter did to Jesus.  Walang boto sa akin ang lokong yun.  But I was able to bluster my way in nonetheless.

            At the session hall lobby, I was warned twice by more guards from taking videos of the session along with the other journalists, even if it was just of the vide projection on the wall.  I only had a few minutes worth of clips.

            So we had to content ourselves with following the proceedings from a bad speaker.  But bad audio notwithstanding, we could not help but chuckle at the government’s pathetic defense of its illegal warrant against Ka Satur.  Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera could not stammer and turn beet red enough when justice after justice lectured her about their “defective” information and injustices.  To think it was her baptism of fire yesterday.  On the video wall, we saw her lieutenants giving her bundles of documents one after the other in their vain effort to find justication the justices were asking for.  What a waste of public funds being spent on those lawyers!  I would not hire them to be my gardeners—even if I have one.

             Meanwhile, Ka Satur’s chief counsel, Justice Romy Capulong was as cool as a cucumber.  Every time he opened his mouth, the interpelating justices could not help but nod enthusiastically, making me afraid they would nod their heads off their already brittle sockets.  Seeing the old guy in action made me want to become a lawyer again.  But then again, no such possibility at the moment.

            By the looks of it, they were already ready to rule in favor of the petitioner last night.  But, perhaps, to spare Devanadera from further embarrassment, the Court announced it will come out with a decision on Tuesday. 

            Driving from the Supreme Court, I had as hitch hikers “Utretch special rapporteur” Rita Baua, Bulatlat.com senior bulatlateer Dabeth Castañeda, Bayan Muna chairperson and vice chairperson, Dr Runie Lesaca and Atty Greg Fabros, respectively.  Our mood inside the car was upbeat, confident this Supreme Court is no Malacañang lackey.

            I would love to see national (in)security adviser Norberto Gonzales, (in)justice secretary Raul Gonzalez, and fake president gloria arroyo’s ugly faces when they hear of the decision on April 3.  I hope they would feel like it’s Black Friday on a Holy Tuesday. 

But devils don’t observe Holy Week, do they?

I saw Hotshots on cable yesterday.  It felt nice to remember those years when, like the movie’s characters, I was a teenager trying to find my place in the sun.

            For those who don’t know or can’t remember, Hotshots starred Aga Muhlach, Gary Valenciano, Raymond Lauchengco, Herbert Bautista, and virginal-looking Jobelle Salvador and Eula Valdez.  There was actually one other girl whose name I can’t remember.

Hotshots, along with Bagets I and II and Campus Beat where the biggest local movies of my teenhood.  I didn’t care much about Ninja Kids, although I admit I saw that too.  My favorite Hollywood movie at the time was Ghostbusters.  Then there were THE Taboo series and Deep Throat on betamax.  Just kidding.  The Champ was my favorite on beta.

Funny, only last week, we were listening to Leah Salonga’s revival of some of the songs in the soundtrack.  There was Reaching Out and Shadow of Time, along with three other upbeat songs like, of course, Hotshots and You’ve Got Me Working.  Odette Quesada was queen songwriter then; Lito Camo has yet to escape the Ghosbusters’ vault.

Aside from these songs being all time personal favorites, there are other things in the movie that are familiar to me, even to this day.

Herbert became a classmate and seatmate in college.  There were scenes in the movie where some of the cars I drive today were featured.  There were the L300 van, the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Ford Laser.  And somewhere in our old provincial house, I still have the studded leather wrist band I wore when I first attended a dance party (yes, with disco lights and breakdance music), similar to what Herbert and Aga wore in the movie.  I even owned shirts with shoulder pads and side flares then.  I had baggy pants and wore sandos over shirts.  My shoes then were black Blahblahs.  And I used Lord Wally gels for my Spandau Ballet-like do.  Yes, like them, I dressed and looked funny too.  In fact, I make it a personal mission to hide all my pictures taken during this time.  Dyahe, pare.  So baduy!

Unlike in the movie though, this boy did not get the girls. Booo!  (I wonder where Sheryl Canapi, Honey Guzman and Jobelle Viloria are now.  They were my crushes in our Moonstone class then.)  But I wasn’t hopeless.  I had my first girlfriend in 1984.  A Grade 4 girl at Tuguegarao West Central.  I don’t even remember her name now.  I hope Ernie Dy Jr would remember.  Where are you, dear friend?  Hope you are still alive.     

One last thing: I was pigging out on something when I saw this movie at Alvin’s Cinema in Tuguegarao (was a freshie at St. Paul’s).  Then I felt funny all of a sudden.  I did not run to the bathroom, afraid someone I know might see me puking my guts out.  So I ran outside to a nearby bridge, thinking I would be safer there.  Turned out, a classmate was shooting the breeze on Balzain Bridge and saw me nonetheless.  The next day, a Monday, I was the talk of the class.

Guess I just wasn’t a hotshot then.

I am not much of a betting person but I have a surefire moneymaker here.

gloria arroyo reportedly ordered her lieutenants yesterday to stamp out poverty and hunger in six months. This will be done by the lowering of prices and refilling the stocks of rolling stores and village pharmacies, Malacañang said.

Now, hear this: I am betting my last peso against any fool out there who believes gloria can get this done.

I have another bet to make.  I am betting against the Palace’s boast that arroyo’s regime will wipe out the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army by 2010—three years from now.

I am convinced of winning.  I believe gloria is precisely one of the reasons why poverty and hunger beset the people and that the CPP-NPA are gaining strength, instead of weakening.  My confidence is such that I dare anyone to name their odds: lo-diyes, siyete-diyes, tres-dos, etc.  Hell, this is surer than betting on Pacquiao!

If you are interested, send me a message.

Norberto Gonzales’ latest lies against Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo have loopholes as big as his nostrils. 

            He is accusing Ka Satur and others of masterminding the killings of about 22 victims found in a mass grave in Leyte Province.

            First, at the time the apparent massacre happened, Ka Satur had been languishing in jail—in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, specifically.  It was impossible for him to personally give the order when he was kept behind thick iron bars and barbed wires and facing a court martial.  Looks like we have another paid liar in military witness Zacarias Piedad.         

            Second,   Ka Satur’s supposed murder cases in pursuit of rebellion is already deemed absolved by the Hernandez Doctrine.

             Third, the reported victims’ families could not have scientifically established the dug up remains were their relatives.  It really needs forensic evidence to establish this fact, the victims having been buried 22 years ago.

            Lastly, the 20-year prescription period for the supposed crime is at least two years past.

            It behooves the AFP and its commander in chief gloria macapagal arroyo to find other ways to discredit Ka Satur and his party list group.  But I seriously doubt they can derail Bayan Muna from becoming champion once more in this year’s party list elections.

            Better yet, they should find another tactician other than Norberto Gonzales.  The trouble with this guy is that his lies look very like much boogers dropping from his big nostrils.  And when his boogers pile up on his feet, they look very much like a pile of shit.