Rene Saguisag
Years ago, a book on Ali-Frazier (Ghosts of Manila by Mark Kram) characterized Manila as the oral sex capital of the world. Today, Time says Pasig and Makati, two of my hometowns (along with Mauban), are the selfie capitals of the world. Born in Mauban, I attended Makati Elem, and Rizal Hi in Pasig. Elsewhere, they may not have time for selfies. Work ethic. Here, talk, text, sextext and pix ethic.
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Manny Pacquiao, a gifted practitioner of the Manly Art of Modified Murder once announced he could consider running for Prez in 2016. He was reminded, errr, told that one has to be 40 to replace PNoy. I would have asked him—of what country naman po kaya?
Now, Veep Jojobama Binay, in a presumably lucid interval, says he would inflict Manny in his Senate slate (Manny’s 2013 dream was thwarted by the Constitution which requires 35 as the minimum age; he was 34 then but boxing, gambling, womanizing, concertizing, TV-hosting, etc. left him no time to read the Constitution).
Manny is in the running for Top House Absentee (along with ailing GMA, 67, who should be put in Metro Manila arrest) and he may be Senate Top Absentee. He has started his own dynasty.
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Jojobama has left the idealistic PDP-Laban for pragmatic alliances and his senatorial line-up, compared with the LP-NP slates of old, may be called Pinabili ng Suka Coalition, without underrating anyone’s capacity for reform and growth.
Jojo, kindly allow me to remind you, during the dark years, MABINI became very close physically and/or in spirit, to Senators Ninoy Aquino, Uncle Jovy Salonga, Tanny Tañada, Ka Pepe Diokno, Paddy Padilla and Soc Rodrigo. Paradigms, and all on the right side of Edsa from September 23, 1972 to February 25, 1986. Manny your new Ninoy, Jovy, Tanny, Pepe, Paddy or Soc?
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Manny has billions which BIR head Kim Henares has her moist eyes on. She has certainly reversed at her level the impression that BIR means Bigay Ikaw Regalo. There is so much in what she does that I like (full disclosure; she’s married to a nephew-in-law but we have met only twice or so and have not gone beyond the standard pleasantries) that I am disappointed in her scare-and-shame campaign to make taxpayers pay in a society where we do not see where taxes go (pork barrel misused by lawmakers? – no health care, no pension, no efficient governance, no traffic discipline; these are staples say in Canada where it would be illegal and sinful not to pay taxes.) But, always, there’s the matter of human rights and dignity.
Mayor Lim’s spray-paint campaign, MABINI (and others) knocked out in the Court of Appeals (CA) on January 26, 2000 (his appeal to the Supreme Court [SC] failed because of yet another hypertechnical cockamamie application of the rules by the SC; his lawyer failed to furnish the CA a copy of a harmless, routine motion for extension).
I do not like what was done to Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, the letter A put on her dress to shame her as an Adulteress; or White Feathers in the British military; or Yellow Star put on the doors of Jews by Hitler’s Nazi hitmen; or BF Fernando’s Wet Flag, which the SC could have shot down but Justice Tony Carpio, our People’s Initiative hero in October, 2006, didn’t. The SC said the case was not properly before it, not having enough factual antecedents – which did not stop the SC in cybercrime – arguably showing insensitivity to the human rights of the poor. So, I do take offense at the scare and shame campaign, Mareng Winnie (Monsod) who had asked “Why take offense?” (PDI, 3/8/14, p. A, col. 2) – but I agree, “the quality of governance has to be improved for higher tax revenues.” We don’t want to subsidize our officials’ vices and waste.
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Now we seem to see more theatre than substance everywhere in government, particularly in the Senate where I once toiled. Theatre could be useful but not to the point we see it today. Comes now Tolits Atienza wanting live coverage by PTV 4 of House sessions. Who has time to be bored? What will Manny Pacquiao have to show our people?
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The income tax law made America a nation of liars, more than golf has, said Will Rogers. Among our arguable liars is Manny Pacquiao, Jojobama’s early pick for Senator in 2016.
Jojo, huwag kang magtaksil sa iyong dating kauri and speak out on Kim’s “degrading punishment,” at war with the spirit and intent of Sec. 19(2) of our Constitution on “degrading punishment.” Look at the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) and its Articles on “inherent dignity.” Speak out on what your fellow Batangueno, the Tanauan City Mayor (Antonio “Thoy” Halili), made a Tuyo thief do. “I’m a thief,” said the sign put on him and he was paraded around town. This is not China, where shaming is routine. But, Mayor Tuyo, err, Thoy, is far from contrite and reaffirms no respect for the Constitution and the UNDHR.
But, Ginoong Magnanakaw, huwag naman pong ang kukunin ay nagkakahalaga ng P16,000! Hanggang Pasko na po ‘yon. Paskong Tuyo. But, there’s no excuse for You-Tubing the thing.
The Revised Penal Code realizes a higher law, the first law of mankind, survival; it imposes a light penalty on one stealing “under the impulse of hunger, poverty or the difficulty of earning a livelihood for the support of himself or his family.” Art. 9 (8).
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Rep. Mark Villar has filed a bill on community service by convicts. Jails here mean you go in a human being and come out a brute. This is a measure I wouldn’t mind watching being made, despite Bismarck’s saying two things people should not see being so made: sausages and laws. Indeed, long overdue here also are laws on suspended sentences and night and weekend service. Mark’s bills I will follow closely like that on medical marijuana or Mary Jane, if any.
We are all frail human beings in an uncertain, less than perfect world. (Am I glad that the Social Weather Stations has again validated that Pinoys are happy in such a world.)
PNoy – the only perfect human being I know – is a fellow Sanbedista, Justice Gregorio Perfecto! See, we see anything’s comic side; why should Prez – ayun humahagulgol na ang dyaske – Jojobama’s Senate have all the fun?