Witness

I finally found Toyapi near the steps of the Enterprise Center fronting BPI, after chasing whatever group he's with, from Makati Ave. We tried to find the group from Malcolm, and between the two of us, we figured out how difficult it was to find a group of probably less than a hundred people from a mass of bodies all asking for the head of an evil bitch on a plate. A couple of photographers were angrily asking some people to put their banners down so they can get better shots. I seriously considered throwing a hard, blunt object in their direction, but, I couldn't find a hard, blunt object within my reach. Unfortunately, I didn't see their names, or the organizations they're affiliated with, I could have happily published them here.

There are reportedly around 80,000 people at and near the intersection of Ayala Ave. and Paseo de Roxas right now. It was announced that the PNP prohibited ABC 5's news chopper from flying over the area. Bishop Oscar Cruz, Sr. Mary John Mananzan and Bro. Eddie Villanueva spoke onstage. Notable people in the crowd include Noel Trinidad, Etta Rosales, Manolo Quezon, Butch Abad, and Dinky Soliman. Schools such as Assumption, La Salle, Ateneo, Adamson and UP are well represented (note to mouthpiece Ignacio Bunye: four of these are not SUCs, hence, these have not always been a “source of discontent”). Cory Aquino and Erap Estrada addressed the crowd for about a minute each. Armida delivered a rather weird spiel, which, as we were told later, was apparently a poem. Some guy named "Peter Parker" wearing a Spiderman costume, rapped to the delight of the Bayan Muna crowd.

As I was leaving the area (by following a woman riding some small contraption, much like how drivers follow ambulances at EDSA during rush hour), I heard that Jun Lozada has arrived. He will not be speaking until 6:30, just in time for the networks to cover it live for their news broadcasts.



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Video taken by INQUIRER.net reporter Relly Carpio from the 10th floor ledge of the Philippine First Building in Makati City.

Would Luli Watch?

If you want to (1) express dissent/disgust/pure and unadulterated hatred for all things related to fake presidents and evil bitches, (2) support your alma mater, and (3) watch a basketball game, all at the same time, then this exhibition game is for you.

But on March 16, the two squads and their rabid fans will set aside their history of bitter competition for a friendly match in Araneta Coliseum dubbed “La Salle at Ateneo: Magkasangga Para sa Katotohanan (Team for the Truth)” to raise funds for the legal expenses of broadband whistleblower Rodolfo Noel Lozada, Jr.

I wonder if Araneta would allow Ben's Diner to sell its borjers to the fans. I heard it is to die for.

They Said It

“I was the one who made the recipe. It’s the best borjer. The documents show that you ate here a lot of times. You claimed I threatened you. You’ve been there at Wack Wack, having my borjer.”

- former Commission on Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos Sr., in a futile attempt to convince the Filipino people - on national television - that he did not threaten Jun Lozada.

Puso, Pare, Puso

XVII

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

Ang pag-ibig ko'y di tulad ng sa anumang bato tulad ng topasyo,
O kahit ng sa bulaklak na napupuno ng bango.
Mahal kita gaya ng mga bagay na madidilim,
Sa pagitan ng anino't kaluluwang kimkim.

Mahal kita tulad ng halamang di namumukadkad
Ngunit taglay ang sinag ng tagong rikit ng mga bulaklak.
Salamat sa iyong pag-ibig, 'sang laksang halimuyak
Ang umuusbong at nabubuhay sa aking katauhan.

Mahal kita, kung paano o kailan o saan ay hindi ko alam.
Mahal kita, walang bahid ng kabuktutan o pag-aalinlangan.
Datapwa't mahal nga kita dahil wala na akong alam pang iba

Maliban dito... na maging ang ako at ang ikaw ay di umiiral:
Na ang bisig mo sa dibdib ko ang aking sandalan;
Na sa iyong pagpikit, ako ang nahihimlay.

- Pablo Neruda

When You Have Eliminated the Impossible

Assuming, for the sake of argument, that Sen. Francis Escudero is wrong, and that the government does not, as a matter of policy, engage in "kidnapping, coercion, violation of anti-wiretapping law, obstruction of justice and other violations of Article 143 [Act tending to prevent the meeting of the Assembly and similar bodies] and 144 [Disturbance of proceedings] of the Revised Penal Code," then I guess we should all be thankful for being blessed with a government that, as enumerated by Inquirer columnist Rina Jimenez-David, gives it citizens (1) free trips to Hong Kong, (2) planeside welcome, (3) protection, (4) joy ride, (5) free legal advice, (6) steak dinner, and (7) P50,000 cash ‘panggastos’ [spending money].

O ha. Saan ka pa?

Wag the Dog

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strip from INQ7.net.

Life After DRP*

A law student from Diliman recently shared with all the readers of the Inquirer, his rather unfortunate experience of getting a 5.0 in Nego - something he apparently shared with 29 other souls. He mentioned that it was his first failing mark ever, and confessed to all who cared to read, what every single soul with a Form 5 in Malcolm knows - resistance is futile. In his words, "he is still the professor and [...] that is the same as god."

Recently, an entire block was held hostage to the resentful and vindictive musings and posturings of a closet drama queen. The hairless wonder was apparently upset (I am being generous here) at the evaluation that that block gave him three semesters ago (which proves that not only don't elephants forget, they don't forgive either). From what the block saw and heard during the make-up classes (he was out for a month on official business), between the 5s that he generously distributed like pancakes to the class, one cannot help but surmise that somebody probably made a lewd comment about his momma in one of those evaluation forms.

He also made insinuations that members of the block provided the fodder to some other professor's weblog. Nevermind the fact that the block has never had the blogger for a professor, in any subject, before. He was sure the blogger was referring to him. He was sure that the information came from this ungrateful pack of recit cards oh-so-screaming for more 5s.

So, after one 15-minute class session, two make-up classes cum ranting and raving sessions, and 11 5s on most recit cards, all the members of the block - with the exception of five or so people - decided to drop the good professor. While a DRP doesn't look as bad as a 5.0 in the transcript, I can only hope that these people, suffer the same fate that the Inquirer contributor referred to above did - get a 1.75 from Professor Avena.

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* with apologies to Jobert Navallo