Last week, I came across a news report where U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was quoted as saying, “It is biblical, the tragedy that continues to stalk Haiti and the Haitian people” (from “Clinton scraps South Pacific trip after Haiti quake,” Reuters, January 14, 2010). I posted it on Twitter and commented that I ... (more)
The ‘deemed-resigned’ issue
Posted on December 11, 2009 · 21 Comments
After thousands of voter’s IDs were recovered from the mansion of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. in Shariff Aguak, Col. Leo Ferrer, 601st Infantry Brigade commander, was asked whether the IDs were authentic. He said he couldn’t tell — how could he when he didn’t even have a voter’s ID? Well, that makes two of ... (more)
Federalism, political dynasties and private armies
Posted on December 3, 2009 · 18 Comments
I was aboard the cruise ship Legend of the Seas on a much-needed vacation when I heard about the incident at Ampatuan. I was in my state room watching the news on CNN when the familiar voice of Maria Ressa went on the air and what I heard so shocked me that my coffee had ... (more)
Stories from Singapore
Posted on December 1, 2009 · 27 Comments
When you walk the streets of Singapore, prowl the malls or ride in the train, it isn’t unusual to overhear conversations in Filipino. There are, after all, about a hundred thousand Filipinos in Singapore. So many, in fact, that inside the Lucky Plaza along Orchard Road, one finds many shops and services that cater to ... (more)
Do we really require a moral leader?
Posted on November 26, 2009 · 7 Comments
When the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky affair broke out in the 1990s and people were talking about impeachment, my position was that Clinton should be held liable for lying, perjury if under oath (he initially denied having relations with Lewinsky), but not for having an affair with her. Most of my friends disagreed because ... (more)
Her ever changing civil status
Posted on November 24, 2009 · 28 Comments
I used to admire Loren Legarda back when she was a young newscaster and TV host. She was refreshing and articulate with a personality that commanded attention. Several years later, she became different. She would newscast in a staccato voice and I couldn’t quite understand if it was the effect of a newfound self-confidence or ... (more)
A benighted and repressive Comelec, Part 2
Posted on November 19, 2009 · 12 Comments
(Continued from last Tuesday’s column) Is it just homophobia that drove the Comelec to deny the petition for accreditation of the Ang Ladlad LGBT Party? Yes, but homophobia is deeper and more serious than most people think. Homophobia is defined as the heterosexual’s extreme and irrational aversion to, and contempt for, homosexuality and homosexual people, ... (more)
A benighted and repressive Comelec
Posted on November 17, 2009 · 28 Comments
Just last week, in the column “Sometimes, TV doesn’t suck”, I asked whether religious persons make fair and objective leaders who will think, decide and act in favor of the common good rather than in compliance with their own religious biases. Today, I have to ask that question again in reaction to the Comelec’s resolution ... (more)
Rats in a sinking ship
Posted on November 12, 2009 · 21 Comments
Disappointed with the delay in the release of “Ingloriuous Basterds” and after discovering that we won’t be able to see it as a family because of the R-18 rating, we went to see “Law Abiding Citizen” last weekend. I wasn’t expecting much, the reviews hadn’t been good, but there was still something attractive about the ... (more)
Citizenship and residence requirements for presidents
Posted on July 14, 2009 · 5 Comments
Section 2 of Article 7 of the 1987 Constitution says, “No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least 40 years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least 10 ... (more)
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