BLOGGING: The Power to Shape History

Rain B.

First, let me digress. It must be hard to be a beautiful and accomplished actress Ann Curtis these days. You show up in a fabulous party, dressed up like a goddess, and smile like everyone is there to see you. But they weren't. They were ignoring you. Everyone was looking at BB Gandanghari, dressed in red and black gown. Yep, even those cute Angelos, trying to entertain the crowd, were all eyes at BB. I was in the table next to her, so I knew how people simply swirled around her, ignoring jall those other actors, editors and fashion model.

The party was the Velvet Oscar Night last Friday at the Ayala Museum. They practically invited everyone in the media and entertainment industry. Wines overflowed, much to my delight. And that was the only thing good that night. The rest was boring – pretension at its best. Everyone left hurriedly to the next party, which in our case was the Radio Partners Party where DJ Mojo Jojo was one of the hosts.

That was such a sharp contrast to the Ipanema Giselle Bundchen Collection Bloggers Launch we attended at the Le Souffle the night before. The Victorina Council was invited and we came in full force. Yes, there was food and wine and fashion show and music. But the energy was more real, and the people more attractive.

My friend Noel, a TV Director, declined the invitation to Ipanema saying it was a harried PR night. Well, dude, it was nothing like that. It felt like a gathering of friends.

It was Rodes Fishburne of San Francisco Chronicles who captured the power of blogging very clearly. He said, "The truth is blogs are nothing more than one of our oldest known communication forms: the letter. Think of blogs as personal letters, and letters as conversations, and you've grasped blogs' immediacy and power. Blogs have become so popular so quickly because they are personality driven. We all have access to the same machine now, the Internet, thus advantage is won by using personality, not broadcasting apparatus."

So when someone like, say KC Concepcion, says on national TV that she loves this shampoo. Her message will be taken as what it really is – a commercial endorsement. It is not an expression of her personality. And people nowadays have become so information-driven and tech-savvy that they can smell a fake statement a mile away.

But when a simple blogger, like mugen, writes that he is not a fashion expert but he liked Ipanema because of its environmental advocacy, it has something that brings people to believe – honesty.

The traditional media are now struggling to survive. They know that sooner or later, they will lose their relevance. Slowly, they will lose their value as society's primary source of information that affects public opinion, and stories that touch people's lives. They have become just one mode of communicating, one among the many.
But the blogs have taken over; and most bloggers know this. They know that companies are now after them, not so much to endorse, but to experience their products.
The US Elections has shown that an online community can create a president and cause in monumental shift in world history.

That is the vast potential that blogging, social networking and twittering can provide. We know what to do.

And the time to do it is now.

A Case of Ellen Tordesillas

by Andro Ramirez

The U.S. of A. has sworn in their 44^th President and the world watched in awe and hope, I have to admit it was indeed an historic moment. Just a few decades ago, “his” people were fighting for equal rights in the biggest melting pot of races that part of the globe. Now he is the main man. Although not purely a “homie” and of “da hood,” he is still considered a brotha’. But who cares? The man is now President, and the color of his skin is no longer an issue. Focus instead on what he can, will, and must do to salvage what his predecessor has brought not only to America but also upon the world with his G.I. Joe mentality of economics. Like it or not, America can still create an impact and influence on the world. But let’s not get into that. Not just yet. -- With the stellar rise of President Barrack Hussein Obama to power from the grassroots, is it any wonder that “our” seasoned politicians and personalities want to be associated with his rising star? Not looking at how it came about but with eyes on the prize, the presidency.

Should there be no hiccups, the next Presidential, Legislative, and Local Elections is scheduled on May 10, 2010. That is only 15 months away at the time of this writing. As early as last year, feelers have been sent by those with the intent of running for the highest office of the land. To tell you the truth, I am not elated by the unofficial lineup, nor their early product and self-endorsements. Shall I name them now? Wag na lang, because I do not approve of their message which is all bull. They have been doing and saying that for ages, and you know what happens after, NADA! Now they all want to be associated with the name OBAMA. The notion alone makes me feel like regurgitating my meals.

So what now brown cows? After gulping tons of glutathione capsules and ex-deals with their overrated dermatologists to be white, they now want to be black. Fashion and PR pundits may even say “black is back.” Mark this, they will do anything in the coming months just to be associated with the man and his name no matter how putrid their reputations and track records are.

Now isn’t it a wonder not even one, administration and opposition alike, volunteered to slash their lard barrels? They even had the audacity to increase their take by P2 Billion from last year or a total of P9.7 Billion. Hello! BAROK OPAMA’s, in case any of you refused to accept it, we are in a financial crisis, since the time of Marcos. The global crisis is now a reality, but should not be used as an excuse. We ordinary Filipinos have been too overworked and way underpaid long before that, well, that goes for those of us who still have jobs that is. Even our “bayani’s” abroad are already being sent home. And the hapless OFW’s were even used for a photo op. Na-Barok na, Na Korokan pa.

In light of these, let me cite 10 satirical reasons why there can never be a PRESIDENT Barrack Obama of the Philippines:

10. None can claim they have an American mother and a Kenyan father.

9. Heaven forbid if one of them admits using marijuana or “blow” in youth and inhaled.

8. They define hard work as being top in the surveys.

7. I dare one of them leave the church or religion they are affiliated with.

6. Barrack is a two-time Grammy Award winner for audio versions of 2 of his books.

5. Barrack does not like “pork.”

4. He is young but not “Estoopid.”

3. He has to prove he can effect change.

Ours want only affect continuity or maintain the status quo.

2. He is the first human hybrid to rule a world power. And he used to drive a hybrid car.

And the number one satirical reason why there can never be a PRSIDENT Barrack Obama of the Philippines:

1. There might not be a PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION in 2010.

Need I explain further?

I Wanna Be Obama

by Andro Ramirez

The U.S. of A. has sworn in their 44^th President and the world watched in awe and hope, I have to admit it was indeed an historic moment. Just a few decades ago, “his” people were fighting for equal rights in the biggest melting pot of races that part of the globe. Now he is the main man. Although not purely a “homie” and of “da hood,” he is still considered a brotha’. But who cares? The man is now President, and the color of his skin is no longer an issue. Focus instead on what he can, will, and must do to salvage what his predecessor has brought not only to America but also upon the world with his G.I. Joe mentality of economics. Like it or not, America can still create an impact and influence on the world. But let’s not get into that. Not just yet. -- With the stellar rise of President Barrack Hussein Obama to power from the grassroots, is it any wonder that “our” seasoned politicians and personalities want to be associated with his rising star? Not looking at how it came about but with eyes on the prize, the presidency.

Should there be no hiccups, the next Presidential, Legislative, and Local Elections is scheduled on May 10, 2010. That is only 15 months away at the time of this writing. As early as last year, feelers have been sent by those with the intent of running for the highest office of the land. To tell you the truth, I am not elated by the unofficial lineup, nor their early product and self-endorsements. Shall I name them now? Wag na lang, because I do not approve of their message which is all bull. They have been doing and saying that for ages, and you know what happens after, NADA! Now they all want to be associated with the name OBAMA. The notion alone makes me feel like regurgitating my meals.

So what now brown cows? After gulping tons of glutathione capsules and ex-deals with their overrated dermatologists to be white, they now want to be black. Fashion and PR pundits may even say “black is back.” Mark this, they will do anything in the coming months just to be associated with the man and his name no matter how putrid their reputations and track records are.

Now isn’t it a wonder not even one, administration and opposition alike, volunteered to slash their lard barrels? They even had the audacity to increase their take by P2 Billion from last year or a total of P9.7 Billion. Hello! BAROK OPAMA’s, in case any of you refused to accept it, we are in a financial crisis, since the time of Marcos. The global crisis is now a reality, but should not be used as an excuse. We ordinary Filipinos have been too overworked and way underpaid long before that, well, that goes for those of us who still have jobs that is. Even our “bayani’s” abroad are already being sent home. And the hapless OFW’s were even used for a photo op. Na-Barok na, Na Korokan pa.

In light of these, let me cite 10 satirical reasons why there can never be a PRESIDENT Barrack Obama of the Philippines:

10. None can claim they have an American mother and a Kenyan father.

9. Heaven forbid if one of them admits using marijuana or “blow” in youth and inhaled.

8. They define hard work as being top in the surveys.

7. I dare one of them leave the church or religion they are affiliated with.

6. Barrack is a two-time Grammy Award winner for audio versions of 2 of his books.

5. Barrack does not like “pork.”

4. He is young but not “Estoopid.”

3. He has to prove he can effect change.

Ours want only affect continuity or maintain the status quo.

2. He is the first human hybrid to rule a world power. And he used to drive a hybrid car.

And the number one satirical reason why there can never be a PRSIDENT Barrack Obama of the Philippines:

1. There might not be a PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION in 2010.

Need I explain further?

For Better or Worse?

Death is just the Beginning
by: BOLDSTAR
We are not talking about rigor mortis nor pallor mortis as the later is self inflicted in this case. What we are talking about is Lazarus taxon from the fossilised remains of the good-looking actor, drop dead hunkalicious Rustom Padilla. Obviously, there was no embalming process, catastrophic Mayan doomsday nor the body pecked to the bones by vultures like the Tibetan Buddhism sky burial in the movie Kundun. The reappearance of the aforementioned fabulousity is not even morphology through convergent evolution that created an Elvis taxon.. Think of it as death free reincarnation, as opposed to being dead as a Dodo. It is by the expertise of the American advancement in whatever it is, the male to female transition of Binibining Gandanghari is forcing the Filipino psyche to once again swallow or spit acceptance, amidst a whirlwind of public hulabalut. It’s like a "halo-halo" with fruits.

Let I be corrected by my 13 year old niece in the midst of her first menstrual experience and sexual education in school, Miss Gandanghari is not “gay”. My niece is so brilliant. She even knows you can’t get boy germs nor get pregnant from oral actions. Blame the progressive school teachers, TFC Channel, Ruffa Gutierrez and Kris Aquino, the little one knows that Bebe is a transgendered woman.

So why am I writing about Bebe? Well, there is a lesson for all of us. I cannot tell you exactly what lessons they may be. As Yoda said ‘listen to the force [boldstar] may the force be with you’. But I can share that her transformation forced me to think of change and acceptance because what on earth would possess someone to pile on the makeup, wear a skirt, sashay on 5 inch heels with the possible thunderous condemnations of 80 million Catholics, and face the wrath and ridicule of the religious fanatics. Personally, it’s hard being a woman. On the practical side waxing is terribly painful especially if the Brazilians are given privileges down there, while inebriated disgusting men salivate all over you in the pub when you just want to sit, swigl a pint and relax. Additionally, women can be so bitchy. Bebe’s case is all the more intricate because one must hide the virtues of being born with a Y chromosome. Remember bend it like Beckham? For Bebe, one must bend the Beckham between gluteus maximus as close as possible to the sphincter galaxy.

So where are the bible bashers? Haven’t heard any condemnation regarding this woman’s choice to be whoever she wanted to be. Thank goodness the Catholic Church and the Cardinals of the Philippines have realized perfectly well to let the girl be. As Darwin said it’s an evolutionary process. In the past one can be blessed with the patience of nature and tectonic plate movements but in this day and age one can avail oneself the power of makeup and hair extensions’. So, can I be upfront to claim that yes we have finally manage to knock some sense on some religious people? Acceptance is such a blessing and a sign of one’s love for humanity and each other. My pancit, one just needed to go to Roppongi in Tokyo to see and be dazzled by the talent and beauty of some Filipinas. However, don’t get me wrong my advocacy for acceptance does not extend to the politicians who continually ignore the plight of our kababayan’s.

Stand up if you’re guilty.

I mean what the hell would the gleaming facades of the welcoming arches do?

Prosecutor John Resado Lied Under Oath...Not Once, But Twice

Borrowed from Cong. Ruffy Biazon

While a majority of the people believe that Prosecutor Resado is guilty of tax evasion, failure to declare true assets and liabilities and possibly even bribery, enough evidence still needs to be gathered to seal the case against him.

It may be tempting to immediately file a case against him, but any flaw, minor it may be, will be enough for the fiscal who will receive the case to dismiss the case on a technicality. We are led to believe this since we have already seen the association of prosecutors nationwide take a stand behind the embattled John Resado.

So if there is any case that will be filed against the prosecutor, it should be supported with enough evidence to make it airtight and not one prone to be dismissed on a technicality.

But at this time, there is one case that is definitely supported by strong evidence, provided by John Resado himself. There are indisputably two instances that the state prosecutor willfully and knowingly lied under oath.

During yesterday’s hearing in Congress, I questioned him on his testimony about the bribery issue and his story about how the 800,000 pesos came to his hands. In his answers, he perjured himself since he gave conflicting answers, which are all part of proceedings that were under oath.

What took me by awe is the prosecutor’s straight-faced, unflinching replies, even though it was already clear on nationwide TV that he was lying. He was the literal embodiment of “lying with a straight face” and “lying through the teeth”.

After pointing out the conflicts in his statements which I reminded him were tantamount to lying, I asked him that as a prosecutor, if a complainant or a respondent lies to him under oath, what effect will it have on him, he said that it would result in questionable credibility.

His answer is definitely applicable to him. I don’t know if it dawned on him that I had just led him to admit that he has questionable credibility, or he lacked the intellectual capacity to realize it. But the impression is that he is really a stone-faced, iron-willed liar, and I was flabbergasted at how unflinching and confident he was in facing the committee. Even if it was proven that he lied under oath.

In the previous hearing, under oath, he boldly accused PDEA lawyer Atty. Alvaro Lazaro of attempting to bribe him to dismiss the case. The congressional committee members cross examined him and were all unconvinced.

He wanted people to believe that the PDEA deliberately came up with the weak case and that the PDEA lawyer offered a bribe for him to dismiss the case. The basic question was if the case was deliberately made weak, what is the need to offer a bribe to dismiss the case? Wouldn’t the inherent lack of merit be enough to dismiss it, thereby negating the need to shell out extra money for the prosecutor?

Later on, the prosecutor did dismiss the case, citing the faulty gathering of evidence, using the “fruit of the poisonous tree” principle. So, the next question is, if the objective of the bribe offer was to dismiss the case, did he get paid when he finally dismiss it?

But in the inquest resolution which he wrote (assuming that he was really the one who wrote it), he pointed out that the PDEA attempted to remedy the weak case, but he deemed it insufficient. In his testimony before the congressional committee, he also said that the PDEA tried to bolster the case with remedial measures. Are those the acts of someone who would want the case immediately dismissed?

As I said after asking him my questions about it, his story defies logic.

When asked why it was only then that he revealed the bribery attempt, he said that he did not have the opportunity to reveal it during the congressional hearing because he was always cut off by the congressmen. Well, everybody watching on TV and listening in the radio during the coverage of the hearing knows that he had all the opportunity to say it if he wanted to.

When asked why he didn’t reveal it during the NBI investigation, he said he considered Atty. Lazaro his friend and under our culture, friends don’t rat on each other. He even described it “absurd” if he reported it. Remember, he is a prosecutor and he thinks that revealing a friend’s violation of the law is “absurd”.

Later on, I was able to get hold of a copy of the report by the National Bureau of Investigation on the inquiry they made regarding the bribery issue. As I read the entire report, I came across an entry which listed down the statements given by Prosecutor Resado.

Among other things that he revealed during the NBI investigation, he made a categorical statement that no one, not anyone, ever approached him to offer a bribe to dismiss the case or influence him in any way to make a decision.

During yesterday’s hearing, upon my questioning, he said that he voluntarily made that statement, without being asked directly about a bribe offer, unlike in the congressional hearing where he was pointedly asked if he was offered a bribe.

That means that if his accusation against Atty. Lazaro is true, then he gave a deliberately false statement to the NBI without even being prompted. That would be lying under oath since the NBI statement was made under oath.

Aside from that, he would also be liable for obstruction of justice since his statement led the NBI to believe that there was no bribe offer when, as he claimed in a congressional hearing, there was one.

Assuming that he did tell the truth to the NBI, he would then be guilty of lying under oath to the congressional committee since he categorically said there was a bribe offer. He could be cited for contempt by congress and charged with perjury.

Another case of perjury by Prosecutor Resado pertains to how he received the amount of 800,000 pesos, something which he does not deny and even offers an explanation for its legitimacy (although his story is still under doubt).

In yesterday’s hearing, he said that he received the amount in several tranches over several days. Remembering what he said in a previous hearing, I pressed him on his statement. He reiterated that he received the money over several days, that the whole amount was not given in one lump sum but in several tranches.

After making him say that, I referred to the transcript of the previous hearing and pointed out to him that during that hearing, he said that the money, which was actually 1.2 million pesos, not only 800,000 pesos (he was the one who corrected the congressmen), was given to him by his in-laws on November 30. He later deposited the 800,000 pesos on December 2. When asked how many days he had the whole amount with him, he said “only one day”, December 1.

It was another case of Prosecutor Resado in conflict with himself, under oath. It only means that he is lying, and lying deliberately. When you listen to him, he does not seem to be a confused man, and even exudes confidence and boldness when he answers questions.

I have participated in many investigations in Congress and only in rare instances do I see a resource person / witness keep his cool under the scrutiny of congressmen asking questions. Sometimes even the innocent are rattled under the pressure of several congressmen asking criss-crossing questions.

But Prosecutor Resado is quite different. He maintains his composure and answers immediately without stammering, and even looks you straight in the eye. Even if you’ve already caught him lying.

I don’t know what the other prosecutors are thinking now. I can understand why their initial reaction was to rush to his side and defend him during the initial stages of the inquiry. After all, one of their own was under attack.

But after going through all the hearings and seeing the outcome, do they still think that standing by Prosecutor Resado is worth it?

Set aside the issues of bribery, tax evasion, undeclared wealth etc. Those still have to undergo further inquiries and gathering of evidence. But what about perjury? The evidence is there, forever etched in the transcripts of the proceedings in Congress and the NBI.

As prosecutors, they know the value of telling the truth under oath. As John Resado himself pointed out, false testimony leads to questionable credibility. He even cited conflicting statements by the PDEA agents to put a cloud of doubt over the credibility of the buy-bust operation which led him to ultimately dismiss the case.

Now it his turn to give conflicting statements. By the same measure that he judged the PDEA agents, so too, he should be judged. Right now, his credibility is as believable as the idea that elephants can fly.