A man called Hope

kidatheartLeave a comment

Everyone can be a beacon of hope.

I’m being optimistic about 2019 when I say that.

I left 2018 with a challenging case of a referral of a young boy who had a very bad infection who developed Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). In layman’s terms, ARDS is a rapidly progressive disease that occurs in critically ill patients. Challenging is an understatement. For those in the medical field, coming to grips with a patient with ARDS is frustratingly painful for both the family and those who are caring for him. While several doctors worked through the holidays to save his life, one cannot undermine the power of prayers. His is a story of a miracle. The rest of us were simply instruments to the power of hope.

Hope is seeing light in spite of being surrounded by darkness.

They say that once you choose hope, anything is possible. Hope is not pretending that troubles don’t exist. It’s more on wishing that they won’t last forever. That hurts will be healed. Difficulties overcome. And we will all be led out of the darkness into sunlight.

We can all be a person of hope for everyone. Whatever profession we are in – government, health, law, education, and other jobs – we can be a beacon of joy for all. We don’t need to be on the front page advertising ourselves on all occasions. Being anonymous or helping others goes a long way in making this a better world.

Because as Maya Angelou puts it best, “hope and fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Invite one to stay“.

Wishful thinking

kidatheartLeave a comment

Each year, most of us begin writing new chapters with the dawn of the new calendar year. For those whose past year was a wreck and tremendously challenging, the new year reminds us of hope and turning a new leaf. For those who had a good year, we can only pray that we stay on a roll and that these blessings continue.

While a fresh start should be at any point in our lives, changing lanes during the start of the year is most symbolic.

Let’s kick off the year with my wishes for 2019. While they may be “wishful thinking”, I’m sure many of us would be happy if some (or all of them) came true.

The end of “Ang Probinsyano” 

I will never probably understand why this series has run for three years. While it started fine, it has gotten to the point of being irritating, irrelevant and insulting. You understand why Lito Lapid is even making a comeback at the Senate despite his lacklustre skills when he was a senator? And that the supposedly poll rating by SWS shows that he’s in the top 12? It’s shows like these where the masses are titillated that provide the avenue to even be remembered! While I get the point that Coco Martin’s show has provided jobs to has-beens and up-coming starlets and stars, you need to look at the bigger picture. It is NOT entertainment that is provided anymore. It is ludicrous to continue this show or to even watch it. It is insulting to the Filipino people that a badly written series has been borne out of this. It propagates doltishness. Yet we wonder why many Filipinos are stoic when it comes to relevant matters of the nation. The irony here is that we forget that we get what we dish out.

Brighter and better lawmakers

2019 is the year for the mid-term election. While it is still being held this coming May, elections provide us with a fresh start at correcting the government system. We can only move on as a nation if we get our acts together. We need to stop voting for those whose personal agenda are on the political page. My colleagues talk a lot about “conflicts of interest” among physicians, they forget that the ones with the greatest conflicts are many of our lawmakers. It’s sad that a lot of them think they are ‘holier than thou’ just because they are in government positions. The laws that they push for should always be for the greater good and not for personal interest of their families or the families of these dynasties. They should be more transparent in their “declaration of conflicts of interest”, which should be posted on every website of the government agency they are affiliated with. After all, the biggest conflict is the one where a government official dips his or her dirty fingers in the kitty of the government’s funds. Those laws they make should not be associated with their family businesses or personal interests.

A breath of fresh air from Duterte

So this wish is probably asking for the impossible, but it is a wish.

I wish that the people around Duterte talk to him about his style of speech. Yes, he’s the president. Yes, he’s entitled to his form of speech. But if I were his adviser, I’d tell him to behave. The world will not adjust for you. Whether you’re the CEO or the janitor, there are just good manners and right conduct that need to be observed. It is a reflection of how we are raised in the home.

These people around him cannot just stand on the sidelines and watch him implode. It isn’t good for everyone’s sanity. The ignoramus and uncouth in the lot, watch and see that he gets away with it. So what’s wrong with them following the leader?

I get the fact that it’s probably in his engram on why he talks and struts the way he does. Some people are just “the way they are”. Whether it is presidentiable or not, he wouldn’t care less. But he is, after all, our president. And that’s what makes caring about the way he is more important. Even if he doesn’t give a sh*t, we do. We all do. He will be our president until 2022. Even old men can learn to behave. Even old men have second chances in life. Because we believe people can be better if there is trust.

Respect is something given to those who deserve it. And it is earned!

Death to the trolls!

If there was one battle that was won, it was against a lot (and I can’t say all) of the trolls on social media. There are the fakers (I’d really prefer to call them f*ckers). And I’m not talking about Philippine politics here alone. We’re looking at the global perspective. This is what social media platforms have become today. This is where digital technology has taken us. A war that was made up. Fake news. Farcical opinions. Twisting the truth and peddling lies. The accountability of all this fiasco must be answered. The trolls must die!

No comments!

There was a time when all news and opinions were regarded as relevant. If you had comments about them, you could write to the editor and they would screen the comments and see whether the comments were valid or not. Valid comments were printed in the page “letter to the editor”.

With the online format for almost every application (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, etc), the stalker(s) has (have) emerged. Creepy little bitches pounce on your wall or posts. Half of these are not even solicited. The other half are looney bins waiting for a room in an asylum and typing on the keyboard during the wait. You can’t just read the article and move on? Surely, 99% of what you read or share does not need a comment. It’s FYI stupid! Your comment is not needed, wanted or desired. WTF!

My wish? That the comment, like and other emotional section be deleted for these news and opinions. It would be a better reading environment without all the distraction of having an armchair “expert” provide a comment or two.

I’m sure most of the readers just read the headlines, then jump to the comment section and all hell break loose. There’s an unhealthy exchange of comment of a comment and it’s like watching kids squabbling! Often times one can’t help but get irked at the stupid trolls who truly need to get a life!

Better days…

Our lives can have better days if we share better stories. We need to learn to be better people no matter how unfair the world is. We need to care more about others by being more sensitive about their needs. We need to be better people by showing others why integrity matters. Why the truth matters more than the lies. Why we can be better people so that others see better days.

12 chapters, 365 chances

kidatheartLeave a comment

Every new year heralds new beginnings. A fresh start.

I started this blog a year ago on a quiet winter morning in Tokyo while watching over my mom (who’s ambulatory challenged), while the clan went shopping. Her snoring was both bothersome yet melodious in some strange way.

Growing up, my sister and I knew her as a frail woman who had to overcome every ball life threw her way. Married off at an early age and had to literally raise a family after my father passed away early, she is the reason why I write about relative joys in life.

Taking care of the elderly and the disabled will always be a painful reality in all our lives.  Many of my friends around my age will have several stories to tell about our parents and grandparents.  As we came out of anticipated New Year’s Day mass today, my mom gave a long sigh.  And I couldn’t help but feel that tug in my heart.  

You see, during those days when we are able to engage in a good conversation, she sheds tears.  Always asks why she is unable to walk already.  How she has become a burden to me (and to everyone).  How frustrated and angry she is because the household help does not pay attention to her especially when she needs to go to the bathroom. (Yes.  The toilet is their place of joy at this age.) And then the minor rants – on the cost of goods and commodities; being unable to cook for me; not being able to drive (another absolute joy as it is her anchor for freedom) – anything under the sun will always serve as a reason for depression. And I get it.  After all, an idle mind will always be the devil’s playground.

Then there is having to watch the slow deterioration of her physiological and physical faculties as a human being. It’s the most painful part of our journey as mother and son. If there is one thing that she always reminds me, is to be good when she is gone.  I always joke around with her that with her resilience in life, I’d probably go ahead of her.  But that would not be a laughing matter to her.  I would look away because her eyes would be filled with glistening tears.  And I would need to choke on my own so that I can pretend (yes, that’s the operative word) that I am strong at I time when she is weak.

There comes a point in our lives when you realise that time has caught up on you or your loved ones.  I know that.  When my father passed away, we were all caught unaware.  Like a thief in the night, death came without a warning. I guess to him it was a good way to go.  After all, who wouldn’t want to go the way he did? I kissed him goodnight at the hospital bed.  I’d be back tomorrow because we were being discharged.  He smiled.  He was coming home.  That phone call at 2AM.  We rushed to the hospital.  They had been resuscitating him for the past hour. I was in a state of disbelief.  But I knew my father.  This was his way of saying goodbye – dignity intact.  I told the residents to stop resuscitating. I went to my mom and hugged her.  It was over. My mom was hysterical. It was difficult for us. That loss still resonates today and every day of my life. A very peaceful ending to the book of his life, yet painful beginning to ours.

The untimely passing of my father taught me many things. 

1. No one is ever ready for death. No matter how well prepared you are, it does not make a formal announcement when it is time. Not even the dying.

2. You’re never able to rewrite the past.  Often times we think that we have time. Time to repay the kindness.  Time to right the wrong. Time to apologise and make amends.  You’re wrong.  Life isn’t fair. Reality is, that like the life of my mom and dad, every day life throws lemons. How you make out of those lemons makes the difference.

3. Aging isn’t easy. Growing old is difficult. After 50, we’re taken aback when each of our batch mates or friends are buried earlier than us. After 60, we get used to the fact that each reunion has dwindling numbers. When you get to survive 65, there are more funerals than weddings we attend each year. After 70, it becomes lonely that you’re one of the last survivors among friends. If you make it past 80, consider it lucky that you have family taking care of you…that’s if your mind is still functioning as sharply as it did a year ago.

4. When they’re gone, the first grief is of the loss. Then the rationalization that they’re probably at peace with no more pain idea takes over. It’s when you’re back home after the burial that hits home. Those special occasions that you all celebrated together are replayed every holiday. As you comb through the photos and memorabilia left behind, one cannot help but recall or feel chagrin of losing a love one. After all, every loss ends in “what if’s”. You will always keep pushing the replay button as you move forward.

They’re a bit tougher to handle as they age. More difficult to understand. A bit more tactless to the point that sometimes you’re ashamed at the stories they tell. It is tiring. But it is what it is. One day, no matter how much we promise ourself that we will not burden our children, we will walk in our parents shoes.

Like the cycle in every calendar year, each new year gives up the opportunity to write 12 new chapters because each day gives us 365 chances to make beautiful endings.

Alinea

kidatheart1 Comment

Writers use the pilcrow symbol to indicate a new paragraph. It marks the beginning for a new trend of thought.

We start each year hoping for new beginnings. That path of hope poses challenges. While we dream of achieving these goals, life isn’t predictable.

I started 2018 with a very challenging problem. I’m sure many of you know that. I need not expound on it. To say that it was disturbing is an understatement.

It was what it was. The fight for good was not mine to bear because even if truth was on my side, politics was not. But I will leave it at that.

Because I decided to walk away I will always remember why I did what I needed to do. It was not out of fear. If you know me well enough, I can use all resources to bring my enemies down. But I always tell people that you either swim with the fish or get out of the aquarium. And that’s true for every job you have or every challenge you face. After all, we all report to someone and there will always be a leader. So this is one chapter I choose to close.

I chose to close one chapter in my life. Move on. And write the next paragraph.

Because this is not my fight. It is not the story I wanted to write.

But I believe in the world being round. That all things balance itself. That good will supervene over bad. That the problems of life remain our biggest conquest. That we choose the battles we need to fight.

The take home message here is that we all write our own stories. How it begins, how it pans out, and how it ends. But we all MOVE ON. Whatever and however we decide, we take responsibility and MOVE ON. Because life’s like that.

One day, I will write my next chapter. The next paragraph. And it will have a happy ending. Because every single moment of our lives, we’re allowed to change our destinies and write our own endings.

Some things always find its way back home.

Of faith and the gift of love

kidatheartLeave a comment

The yuletide season sends mixed feelings to everyone. Mostly a feeling of joy. The gift giving spree, the vacation, time off work and school – it’s indeed a time to be merry!

The essence of Christmas often times gets lost in our material world. As we unravel before our very eyes those beautifully wrapped boxes and trinkets, let us all remind ourselves the reason for the season.

Joy, peace and hope are hinged on one word – FAITH!

Christmas time heralds good tidings and cheers, yet not all of us are merry and bright. There are those who are struggling during this time of the year (or all year round for that matter) because of various reasons and conditions. Faith is enough to see us through even the most difficult times of our lives. If only we have enough faith anything impossible can be mountains we can overcome. They say that “prayer is the key to heaven, but faith unlocks the door.”

Beyond the gifts we receive, the most precious is love. When life gives us a hundred reasons to cry, remember that God gives us a thousand reasons to smile. Because there is love. From Him giving us love it’s unadulterated form through His son Jesus Christ.

Love is kind and beautiful. It is understanding and full of compassion. It is gentle and forgiving. It is grateful, peaceful and merciful.

As the year draws to a close, let us remind ourselves of our continued faith in God and the commandments of love.

After all, every day will always be Christmas when we have faith and Love.

The winters of our life

kidatheartLeave a comment

The heady December air is double bladed. While it has a festive side, it also reminds us the onset of a bitter, dark, and cold season.

While tropical countries like the Philippines get to enjoy two seasons – wet and dry – whole year round, the four seasons in other parts of the world are symbolic of the cycle of life.

With winter comes longer nights and colder days. Nature has its way of teaching us that everything in life has a time to shut down. The end of each day alone is a winter phase in our life. A time to rest. To recover. To recharge.

Winter is the end of a cycle. Some will die, while some will survive into the coming spring. As we age, the cycle of the winter metaphors of our life seem to come more frequently. It’s a sad yet lonely reality.

As I hold my cup of warm coffee on a gloomy December dawn listening to the chirping birds amidst the lighted up Christmas tree, I cannot help but think of those whose christmases will not be merry and bright. Those who mourn the passing of a loved on, missing a family because they are thousands of miles away and working this long holiday, watching over a sick relative fighting for their lives, having to care for the frail loved ones who cannot even recognize them anymore…

From where I view the ornaments on the tree and the gifts beautifully wrapped underneath it, there is a feeling of loneliness, of missing a loved one, that this Christmas not everyone will be here to share that joy. The ambivalence is ironic, yet real.

We all have stories on the winters of our lives…

It is a reminder that the other seasons of our life should be harnessed and cherished. They are footprints that guide us through the winters of our life.

Let sleeping dogs lie

kidatheartLeave a comment

When Catriona Gray was asked her opinion on the legalization of marijuana use, her answer, while albeit short and safe, has been taken out of context by some ignorant sectors.

Let sleeping dogs lie is a phrase that means to “avoid interfering in a situation that is currently causing no problems but might do so as a result of such interference”.

The naïveté of some people regarding the legalization of cannabis has been made too simplistic.

Marijuana is often equated by the layman as “chongki” or “joint”. In this form, marijuana is illegal – with a tendency to be misused, abused, and for recreational purposes.

Without sounding too facile, let me clear the air with the correct medical information.

Cannabis, hemp and marijuana are often confused to be interchangeable.  They are NOT the same. 

Cannabis is a family of plants with two primary classifications – Indica and Sativa. Hemp and marijuana are species of cannabis and both are members of the Cannabis Sativa family. Hemp and marijuana therefore share certain similarities, but their biological structures are distinct and it is what differentiates them.

Cannabis contains a variety of different compounds called cannabinoids. The most dominant are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). Both have been found to provide profound benefits physiologically and pharmacologically. However, THC has psychoactive effects. CBD does not.

These two abbreviations will repeatedly by used in this blog. They are important to remember.

Hemp contains a very low concentration of THC (<0.3%) while Marijuana is abundant in THC (20-40%). Hemp is grown for industrial purposes, while Marijuana is used for recreational and medicinal purposes.

Hemp for industrial use include paper, clothing, building materials, oils, biofuel, clothing etc. Because of the increasing value of CBD, hemp is now being used to produce a variety of THC-free CBD products.

Medical vs Recreational Use

The legal basis of the each plant is based on the presence (or absence) of THC. Because the story of Marijuana (as a plant for recreational use) is different due to its high THC-content (hence the psychoactive effects), the justification for use in the clinical setting should be made clear.

Just like many “dangerous drugs”, the medical uses of cannabis are abundant and endless. The largest therapeutic evidences are in the ability of cannabis to reduce chronic pain, nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy, and spasticity of muscles from multiple sclerosis.

The medical use of marijuana is to address health conditions – getting relieved of symptoms AND NOT GETTING HIGH. While the marijuana plant is obviously the cheaper version, it is always at its most raw form. You cannot calculate the exact dose (and neither can it be replicated) for every “joint” that is taken (or you get a hit from). How many “hits” is equivalent to an antiemetic effect? Or how much cannabinoid oil should your son take in order to control his seizures? No one knows! The ED50:LD50 ratio (effective dose:lethal dose at 50%) is not determined with dried plant and weeds or oil preparations. So, while the ingredients are the same for pleasure and the treatment of pain, the final form in its exact dosage format is important for medical use.

Marijuana contains some of the chemicals found in tobacco and that smoking it can be harmful to the lungs. There is scientific evidence that lung health is a problem seen among marijuana smokers. The THC content is addictive and like any recreational drug, it can serve as a “gateway” to other prohibited and regulated medicines. The higher the THC contents, the more often it is used, the more likely one becomes dependent.

from medium.com

Cannabidiol

Unlike THC, CBD does not give the euphoric effect nor cause intoxication. As I previously discussed, it is THC that causes the psychoactive high for marijuana. Obtaining the active substance CBD from the marijuana plant is vital to drug development – drugs with uniform strength and consistent delivery system that provides the appropriate dosing for patients that need to get treated for any indicated disease. Making unapproved products with uncertain dosages and formulations for the treatment of serious and fatal diseases is like making poor quality guns and ammunition readily available for use by the general public. You’re not really protecting yourself when you need it most.

Dronabinol and Nabilone were the first two available cannabinoid drugs approved for the treatment of nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy. Both are synthetic derivates (not plant based but the chemical structure is laboratory derived). The cannabidiol, Epidiolex, oral solution was recently approved (June 2018) for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome in patients 2 years and older. Epidiolex is the first FDA-approved drug that contains a purified drug substance derived from marijuana (unlike Dronabinol and Nabilone which are synthetic forms).

These basic information should hopefully provide a bit of awareness to the reader – both lay and those with medical background experience – on the differences between what medical and recreational marijuana are. The legislative policies should also be taken into consideration. But that’s taking too much space on my blog.

You need to understand that not all apples are the same.

And that we need to let sleeping dogs lie.

You are not female

kidatheart1 Comment

This coming December 17, 2018, a new Miss Universe will be crowned in Bangkok, Thailand.

For the first time in the history of the Miss Universe pageant, a transgender representing Spain is a contestant.

Angela Ponce took to Instagram and wrote

Bringing the name and colours of Spain before the universe is my great dream. My goal is to be a spokesperson for a message of inclusion, respect and diversity, not only for the LGBTQ+ community but also for the entire world.

The Miss Universe contest is for women. Genetically women. If there is something that cannot be altered in our DNA, it’s being born genetically male or female.

I have nothing against transgenders. They may not be happy with the body or sex they were born with, and while some of them may want to “change” that over their lifetime, I believe that proper sensibilities should remain to be respected. The beauty pageant is one of them. I mean, how would a male beauty tilt feel if a female transgender represented his country later on?

There are appropriate venues and the world will never run out of contests ( and contestants) for various titles and tilts on beauty and body.

But let’s leave the defining of sexual status the way it should be.

Allowing a transgender to be an official contestant for a country does not speak well on the choice of women representing that country for a beauty pageant. It’s not like that nation has run out of women to actually represent them.

Happiness is not about getting all what you want. It’s about enjoying all you have.

Let’s not abuse the thin line called respect. After all, it is a two way street. Let’s not send the wrong message home.

It is not alright.

You are wrong! Again!

kidatheartLeave a comment

President Rodrigo Duterte said he is willing to forego the eligibility requirements for government officials as long as they are competent and honest.

– ABS-CBN News, December 12, 2018
There is a reason for eligibility requirements.  As in any professional line of work, eligibility is the primary qualifier before you even hire anyone.  During a speech at the awarding of housing units to Scout Rangers in San Miguel, Bulacan, the president said, “whoever comes to his mind during his term, as long as they are competent and honest, are enough qualifications for him.”

That’s if he actually knows the people he puts into office.  With several appointments at his disposal, it is impossible that he personally vets all these people.  From the lowly government official to the cabinet members. That would require too much time and effort from him. The preference in the selection of the people he can appoint, are after all, his.  The caveat here is – so should the ultimate responsibility and accountability of both success and failure!  

Competence and honesty are relative terms.  On the other hand, eligibility are standards that need to be met before someone can even be considered for a position.  This means that the person needs to satisfy appropriate conditions. Competence is the ability to do something efficiently.  If the person lacks eligibility, how can one be competent? Eligibility, after all, is a mandatory requirement and is an act of due diligence. 

There are only three reasons why there are those who will refuse to acknowledge eligibility requirements when vetting qualified people for work.  

  • They are lazy.  When one is lazy, the preference is to do things quickly.  Never mind having to pore all through the documentary requirements and checklist of the applicant or the appointee.  All that reading material isn’t in the DNA of the appointer. 
  • They prefer to bend rules because they have preferences. In short, whether they are qualified or not, come hell or high water, they will insist on their friends and relatives. Never mind if they are eligible or not. After all, “competence and honesty” is on their side.  One can be honest and competent, but isn’t qualified for the job description.  Hire a nurse to run the Bureau of Customs or a pilot to run the Department of Health.  There are highly technical agencies that will need someone who is at least a licensed professional with managerial skills and experience. How can you even consider hiring someone who is a fresh graduate with the necessary degree but is either not yet licensed or God forbid, has no experience at all for that particular job?
  • The appointing person is incompetent.  Aside from the fact that laziness is in his genes, he’s most likely incompetent for the position of being the big boss as well.  His selection methods are archaic and finding a reason to obscure the rules of appointing ELIGIBLE people who are competent and honest really needs a lot of work.  No one ever said that the job would be easy.  But I guess some people are used to getting their jobs in government through elections.  They get voted into office with minimum eligibility requirements – being a Filipino citizen, fulfilling age limits, and has resided in that area for at least a certain period of time.  

Civil servants are accountable to the citizens of the nation.  The taxes we pay after all should redound to better and efficient service.  But it can only be done if the people are FIRST AND FOREMOST eligible.  Otherwise, ineligible people end up as ON THE JOB TRAINEES for managerial positions who at the whim of the president, should be appointed into office.

Eligibility is about placing guardrails on qualifications for positions that can be potentially abused by appointing authorities and their ilk through benefactors. It may not be perfect, but a checklist of standards for the particular position applied for should be met. Bluntly, it provides quality to any project, business or government. The competence and honesty will always be a bonus when the applicants are head to head in the final choice.

To neglect eligibility is tantamount to abolishing the civil service commission. It is a bad precedent. A recipe for disaster in governance. Conflicts of interest rise out of the ashes. Rationalizing corrupt practices for the benefit of the appointing authority becomes the rule rather than its exception.

For the second time in a row, you are wrong! Again!

Beyond reasonable doubt

kidatheartLeave a comment

I am not a lawyer. And perhaps the intricacies of jurisprudence is more complicated than what I can comprehend. After all, with so many laws, I’m sure that various circumstances intertwine, making decision-making a “challenging” task for those who rule on court cases. These discombobulated laws are technically also the references used by lawyers when trying to secure a client, a “get out of jail” card.

The recent decision regarding the plunder case of Bong Revilla has stirred concern on the judicial system in the country. While I may lack authority and training on the decision of the court, logic is on my side.

Three were charged with misusing the “pork barrel fund” during the time of PNoy (one of those discretionary funds that I despised about the former president). Despite a non-bailable offense, NONE remain in jail.

To say that it’s a travesty of justice is an understatement. I’ve not seen so much blatant disregard for the rule of law as the recent consecutive “decisions” by the judicial bodies today.

Never mind that the obvious facts speak for itself. As long as you’ve got the money to hire a good lawyer who knows the right judges and connections, even if you’re as guilty as hell, you’d be exonerated. (I guess that’s what good lawyering is all about). All that mumbo jumbo of “reasonable doubt” has been “used and abused” to an extent.

Never mind logic and reasoning and the other evidences. Sadly, concentrating on the “benefit of the doubt” erases all the efforts at making public servants accountable for their crimes. It propagates corruption and graft practices. It undermines the rules of law.

Everyone. Including people in the past administrations who have stolen from the coffers of the nation should be held liable for the crimes committed. Absolving them place future court decisions in a precarious position.

This post is not about how the courts decide on cases committed by elected officials who should protect the greater interest of the nation. It’s the why. There are enablers who try to rationalize the wrongs by blaming the prosecution (or the Ombudsman) for throwing away the case because of a flip flopping witness. That the case wasn’t prepared well because it was hurriedly filed (seriously, 4 1/2 years and you call that a hurried preparation?). Heck! Even the uneducated have questioned the logic behind these decisions. San Beda law Dean, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, even went as far as using the missing wallet as an example.

“If you bring home your officemate’s wallet, thinking in all good faith that it is yours, and your officemate later on charges you with theft, you will, in all probability be acquitted absent any proof that you intended to defraud your colleague, but you will still be ordered to return the wallet and its contents for the simple reason that it is not yours,” he explained.

Seriously? When I open my wallet, I would know “beyond reasonable doubt” that it’s not mine! If I had all intentions of returning it, I would notify my friend of this “mistake” from the get go. Because it was an honest error! That. Is. The. Difference. If I wanted to steal it, it would take time for me to even consider “returning” it. From the years of transactions and evidence, you think there was a plan to even return the money? It wasn’t until these people got caught before they lawyered up. After all, the “wallet” was in the hundreds of millions (based on what could be found).

It’s insulting to our intelligence to even use these pathetic examples.

It was obvious that these politicians and their ilk have found a way to perpetuate staying in power – because it’s run as a business. That is why their relatives and every generation thereafter will continue to rob each of us of our dignities and respect.

It’s not about being “yellow” or red or blue or green or black or whatever rainbow color one is affiliated with. Fuck that! It’s about logic and how the rules and laws are bended to rationalize and accommodate evil.

In 1986, we overthrew a dictator. The Americans were part to blame for the exile of the Marcoses. Cory should have demanded their extradition. Captured. Jailed. Tried. After all, the loot they left behind and brought with them when they fled was enough evidence to have them face death by musketry. But we let them escape. It was the beginning of our ending. And we are now paying for their return to power.

That, to me, was the beginning of the decline in our justice system. The subsequent leaders just capitalized on the sham in the connivance of evil.

Today, it is obvious that the scales of justice tip to those in power. I have yet to see the politicians pay for their corrupt practices. It pays to be in power – who you know, is more important than being righteous.

The litmus rest of every decent government is in how corruption is addressed. How have we fared?

We have never risen as a nation that gains respect from the global community because we do what we do. Every election, that fight against corruption is simply lip service. Until they are voted into office. And we get tired of the same circus and clowns who don’t make good on their promises of change for the better. Sadly, we are all tired of fighting for what is right. Perseverance is not in our genetic make-up. We’ve been colonized too often to even make a stand for what is rightfully ours.

Binababoy na tayo, nakangiti at pumapalakpak pa kayo? Anong klaseng Pilipino tayo?

As a nation, when we lose our moral compass today, we deserve where we will be tomorrow – nowhere.