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MITHIIN (DESIDERATA)

Sonny Pulgar — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:11:14 +0000

[Pagbubunyag (Disclosure): napulot ko sa internet. Hindi ako ang nagsalin sa wika natin mula sa wikang Ingles. Ang orihinal na pamagat nito mula sa aking pinagpulutan ay MGA BAGAY NA HINAHANGAD. Sa palagay ko'y hindi angkop ang pagkakasalin, ipagpaumanhin. Kaya pinangahasan kong palitan ang pamagat ng MITHIIN, isang salitang pangmaramihan at humuhuli sa orihinal na titulong DESIDERATA.] Magpatuloy kang mahinahon sa gitna ng kaguluhan at pagmamadali, at tandaan kung anong kapayapaan ang maaaring mayroon sa katahimikan. Hangga’t maaari, walang pagsuko, magkaroon ng mabuting pakikipag-ugnayan sa lahat ng mga tao. Sabihin ang iyong katotohanan nang tahimik at malinaw; at pakinggan mo ang iba, kahit na ang walang sigla at walang nalalaman; mayroon din silang sari-sariling mga salaysayin. Iwasan mo ang matitingkad at mararahas na mga tao; nakaliligalig sila sa kaluluwa. Kapag inihambing mo ang iyong sarili sa iba, maaari kang maging hungkag o may kapaitan, sapagka’t palaging magkakaroon ng mga nakalalamang at mas mababang mga tao kaysa iyo. Kasiyahan ang iyong mga naisagawa, maging ang mga balakin mo. Manatiling nahuhumaling sa iyong larangan, gaano man kababa; Isa itong tunay na pag-aari sa pabagu-bagong katalagahan ng panahon. Magsagawa ng pag-iingat sa iyong mga pakikitungong pangpinagkakaabalahan, sapagkat puno ang daigdig ng panlilinlang. Ngunit [...]

NAYBI ERAP MACEDA (ERNIE’S POLITICAL HERNIA)

Sonny Pulgar — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:37:20 +0000

“The purpose of any political organization is to get money from the gamblers…” Wilbur LeGette When two septuagenarians and an octogenarian meet to chart their politics in the midst of squalor, we are nothing but doomed. When one of the septuagenarians openly makes known his burning ambition to be president, how do we make out of it? It confirms why we remain third world and get stuck at the bottom rung of undeveloped countries for years to come. We have known what happened to us when a former actor armed with nothing but charisma was pushed in the middle isle and pretended to lead. Has familiarity bred contempt when for the last three decades this former local official ruled the roost in his premier city? From time unremembered one legend of a mayor prophesied that this hitherto young lawyer so young and so corrupt went on to bench warm a cabinet post under Ferdinand Marcos and a senate seat under Cory and earned the moniker senator attack and collect, collect and collect. As one wag said, “politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly and for the same reason.” Unfortunately, we are stuck with [...]

SUBTLY CASHING IN

Sonny Pulgar — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 07:49:20 +0000

Anecdotal evidence has it that there is one family in the media particularly in print and broadcast journalism that has made a career in shakedown journalism. The members of this tough guy family drive around in high-end vehicles and even publish (or announce) their property acquisitions (in their column or radio/TV programs) as if taunting the taxman herself. If you want a stress-free lifestyle, far from the madding crowd in Metro Manila, think of owning property at Sandari Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas province. The site is about 600 feet above sea level, complete with a rainforest and nature reserve. The air is fresh at Sandari Batulao where a clean river and streams flow from the mountains. I bought myself a piece of land in Batulao and I wish to share with you my delight over the purchase. Those who have dealt with them or were erstwhile prey attest that there appears to be a script followed to the letter by the siblings. A telephone call triggers an attempt at connecting with a high government functionary usually a cabinet member or a head of an agency like the Philippine National Police for instance. The bigger the quarry the better. This translates [...]

Another Writ of Amparo

Sonny Pulgar — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:32:52 +0000

PACMAN AS NATIONAL TREASURE AND TAXFREE

Sonny Pulgar — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:39:01 +0000

There are two kinds of income: actual and psychic. It’s like tax quantity like income, business, percentage, ad valorem, etc., on one hand and prestige on the other. There’s no available formula when you talk of the latter tax type. All you have is just to feel it deep in your gut. We are gunning for 10M tourists for 2016 according to Pnoy. Quantified, that number of visitors (with the likes of Paris Hilton and Barack Obama who count as fans revving up the “it’s fun” mantra) can compensate the tax deficiencies of the Taxman, err, Pacman. Pacman is an outlier. He’s not the ordinary professional: lawyer, md, or billionaires like Tony Tan KakTiong, Bong Pineda, Danny Suarez, or CJ Corona. He’s a national treasure that happens once in a lifetime. He’s a speck of diamond from a heap of 100M-ton pay dirt. 50 years from now we look back with nostalgia (remember Pancho Villa or Flash Elorde?) on the honors brought by the boy from Sarangani to this godforsaken country. And I’m not talking about Rolando Navarette. 100M tax debt? The dignity Pacman gave us is more than that. The BIR should exhibit emotional quotient and not IQ. Kim [...]

ang babae sa likod ng jeep

Sonny Pulgar — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:47:41 +0000

“BUENDIA” pa rin ang nakapaskil sa Bus na patungong Gil Puyat Avenue sa Makati. Matagal na ring bago ang pangalan ng mahabang lansangan. Bakit kaya ayaw nating kalimutan ang mga naka-ukit sa ating kinagawian? South Super Highway pa rin ang tawag natin sa kalyeng humahati sa Buendia bago dumating ng riles ng PNR. Gan’un din ang Lawton at Azcarraga at Forbes. Kahapo’y naringgan ko ang MAPSAng si del Mundo na tinawag na Culi-Culi ang Evangelista. Malalim nga ‘ata ang liluk sa ating ala-ala ng mga lugar na ating nakagawian na o baka naman ayaw nating may maki-alam sa mga sulok-sulok ng mga silid ng ating ulo? Marahan ang batak ng aking sasakyan patungong Ayala. Tumawag si Manny, ang katiwala ni Boss. Maraming utos si Boss na dapat nakatali sa likod ng memorya mo dahil ito’y mga lihim na hindi dapat malaman ng iba. Gan’un ang trabaho ko. Tagapagtago ng lihim katulad ng pari na walang ginawa kundi makinig sa mga nangungumpisal. Paulit-ulit gaya ng salitang binangguit ko. Sa dami rin naman ng mga lihim na ipinagkatiwala sa akin, gulat din ako kung karamihan dito’y nalilimutan ko na rin. Pa-apat na dekada na akong nagsasabaul ng mga lihim. Kaya kahit yaong [...]

MUMUNTING GUNAM-GUNAM SA PAGLILITIS KAY CORONA

Sonny Pulgar — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:15:33 +0000

Sa munti ko pong akin laang, masasabi kong mahahatulang nagkasala si Unang Mahistrado Renato Corona ng Senado sa nagaganap na paglilitis. Una po ay sa kabila ng pagpuna sa kakulangan ng kakayahan ng Prosekusyon, nakapasok naman po ang mga nagbabagang katibayan ng kanyang pagkakasala. Limiin po natin na ang mga Senador ay mga Nilalang ng Pulitika. Sa susunod na halalan ay mahaharap ang ilan sa kanila sa husga ng taong bayan. Gano’n din naman po ang ilan sa mga kasapi ng Prosekusyon na nakatitig na may luha sa mata sa Senado. Kung hindi pupunahin ng Senado (o ni Miriam) ang kalidad ng daloy ng paglilitis sang-ayon sa Prosekusyon o kakayahan o pagkatao ng bumubuo ng Prosekusyon bilang mga manananggol, ang pama o kredito ng konbiksyon ni o pagpapatalsik kay Corona ay mababaling sa Prosekusyon. Sa isang pulitiko, isa pong sampal sa kanya kung ang atensyon ng tao ay nakatuon sa iba. Alam naman natin na maraming ama ang tagumpay. Sa matinding pagpuna sa kakayahan ng Prosekusyon, lumalabas na mahahatulan ng pagkakasala si Corona dahil sa malawak na pang-unawa ng Senado. Samakatuwid magpasalamat ang bayan sa Senado sa paglilinis ng pamahalaan lalong-lalo na ang Hudikatura na sa kabila ng kasalatan sa [...]

“RESPECT BEGETS RESPECT”…LAWYER VITALIANO “BOY” AGUIRRE

Sonny Pulgar — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 03:19:27 +0000

Lawyer Vitaliano Boy Aguirre faces the prospect of direct contempt from the impeachment court. He was seen covering his ears in the midst of MDS peroration in the long-drawn impeachment trial of CJ Renato Corona. When the presiding officer called his attention on his “errant behaviour” he reasoned out in a subdued tone that, “I really did it purposedly. Because totoo naman po na shrill ang boses nasasaktan ang tenga ko.” He continued, “ang kuwan ko lamang po ay ang mga senador at kaming mga hamak na prosecutor dito, ang pinaka importante po sa isang tao ay respeto. Kung nagdedemand ka ng respeto, dapat respetohin mo rin dapat itong mga abogadong ito…” He was cut short by the plodding senator and granted his request to leave. Some of her colleagues seem to placate her. The old fashioned Ol’ Boys Club rears its ugly head. They better think twice. The trial spectacle has reached a new dimension. Is it a tipping point? MDS’s performance has reached a crescendo and nobody is no longer amused. The issue is the search for truth in the case against the Chief Justice and not about the senators no matter how brilliant they think [...]

GONAMBAL

Sonny Pulgar — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:27:51 +0000

When (Andres) Bonifacio’s competence to hold the portfolio of the department of the Interior was questioned by Daniel Tirona, the Supremo, indignant, demanded a retraction. He failed to get it. Furious, he declared the proceedings null and void, and left. NCC Chairman Laurel recounted with pride on Henares’ program how his grandfather, Sotero, head of the Batangas delegation at Tejeros, and a Bonifacio supporter, reacted to the uproar that followed. He called for lambanog. He drank, pulled out his gun, and put it on the table. He demanded that, as they had all agreed to earlier, the decision of the majority be respected. Otherwise, mag ubusan na tayo (An Online Guide On Philippine History) That is our humble national spirit in Quezon, the incomparable Lambanog, gracing the pages of history. In Calauag where I come from, Tagalog is the lingua franca. On reaching college-age, we are invariably transported to Manila to enrol mostly in some schools somewhere in the University Belt. So were thousand others from all corners of the country bringing along with them their peculiarities, idiosyncrasies, dish (food), and of course their dialects. We love and went along with our classmates and had no major quarrel with them, except, of course, the dialects. We enjoyed [...]

COURT-DECREED EXCEPTIONS IN FOREIGN DEPOSIT LAW…by ATTY. VICTOR Y. ELEAZAR

Sonny Pulgar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:08:03 +0000

It will be interesting to see if the Supreme Court will apply its ruling in the 1997 case of Salvacion v. Central Bank of the Philippines and China Banking Corporation (G.R. No. 94723, August 21, 1997) in the petition of Philippine Savings Bank to stop the Senate Impeachment Court from looking at the dollar accounts of CJ Renato Corona. In the Salvacion case, the rape victim, then 12 years old, obtained a judgment by default in a civil case for damages against her alleged rapist, a foreigner after the latter escaped from jail. Her family sought to execute the judgment award of over a million pesos by garnishing the foreigner’s dollar accounts with China Banking Corporation. China Bank invoked Rep. Act No. 1405 (An Act Prohibiting Disclosure of or Inquiry into, Deposits with any Banking Institution) as its answer to the notice of garnishment. It also invoked Section 113 of the Central Bank Circular No. 960 to the effect that the dollar deposits are exempt from attachment, garnishment or any other order or process of any court, legislative body, government agency or any administrative body, whatsoever. This prompted the counsel of Salvacion to make an inquiry with the Central [...]