The rising consciousness against political dynasties may become ironic. We are laudably critical, asking candidates to present more than a famous surname. Some propose, however, to boycott anyone branded a dynast, credentials or none. To quote Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.” Paulo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV is the perfect case study. To [...]
How did Twitter lead to dubious media reports that 37-year-old IT lawyer Al Parreño’s appointment to the Commission on Elections was unconstitutional? Why do reporters corroborate sources out of paranoia, yet are hesitant to check the text of the Constitution that we are required to read in high school?
“Our Constitution guarantees the right of every Filipino youth to quality and affordable education,” lamented Rep. Sonny Angara, a University of the Philippines alumnus. This invocation of right is exactly the rhetoric of grieving and angry Facebook posts from UP students. This was the exact rhetoric of 16-year-old Kristel Tejada. Her bereaved mother said on [...]
Would you jail a 16-year-old girl for libel? Would you jail a 16-year-old girl for calling another girl “B-I-T-C-H,” “backstabber,” and “stupid f*ckin’ playin’ innocent” on Multiply.com? Our Court of Appeals and Department of Justice say yes.
Carlos Celdran’s jail term is blatantly unconstitutional. For shouting, “You bishops, stop involving yourself in politics,” he was convicted of the circa-1930 crime “offending religious feelings.” The judge never explained how religious dogma, the key to the jail term, was offended. We must decry how a court of law was hijacked as a tool of political persecution under an archaic law.
Netizens protesting against libel’s insertion in the cybercrime law do not know what they are protesting against. In the Inquirer’s headline story on antimining activist Esperlita “Perling” Garcia’s arrest over a Facebook post (10/23/12), President Aquino’s spokesperson Edwin Lacierda argued that the arrest was for libel under the real-world Revised Penal Code, not the cybercrime law. This completely misses the point but results from the cyberlibel debate’s unintelligent framing as to whether or not Internet libel should be punished.
Commission on Elections Chair Sixto Brillantes is politics’ most feared janitor, thanks to his unprecedented party-list scouring to eject millionaires and alleged political dummies from a system designed to empower the marginalized. The scouring, however, finally exposes the confusion and schizophrenia inherent in the system’s design.
I thought the day would never come when the University of the Philippines would ban a film, much less on the 40th anniversary of the declaration of martial law. And in the greatest irony and shame, the UP College of Law led the charge against the crude hack job titled “Innocence of Muslims.”
So is President Aquino Steven Tyler or Randy Jackson? More importantly, does the home audience have any clue at all how to vote? “Chief Justice Idol” is more obnoxious than “American Idol,” “The Buzz” and “Willing Willie” combined. When nominated to the US Supreme Court, Harvard Law Dean Elena Kagan was grilled by senators [...]
The impeachment defense has done everything but argue its case on the merits. Now belatedly asking the Supreme Court to stop the trial, the defense signals that it never intends to. The defense cannot shoot the ball, so it shoots the referee instead.
