On the Writ of Amparo

All hail the Chief.

Two days ago (the twenty-fourth which was also my brother's birthday) was the first day of the promulgation of the writ of amparo. This is the latest move by the Supreme Court to drastically lessen, if not totally eradicate, the extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the military.

People thought there was no solution to this nagging problem. The ones who were abducted, and the bodies that were recovered, were said to belong to suspected communists, or to communists sympathizers. And since the government keeps reiterating that we are at war with the communists, then these deaths will simply be shrugged off as casualties of war.

And what if the writ of habeas corpus is not a sufficient remedy for the speedy administration of justice? Simple---we import a remedy from Latin America, which we call the writ of amparo.

The writ of amparo is definitely a more appropriate remedy for all these disappearances. Consider this: no docket fees. This certainly goes in favor of the poor farmers and peasants. Plus the writ may be filed twenty-four-seven, and may be executed even a judge's or Justice's handwriting. This is justice without the financial constraints.

There is no doubt about it. Chief Justice Puno will go down in history, as one of the most revolutionary figures in modern times. That's the truth, as even Joma Sison says that the only way he can return home to the Philippines is when Chief Justice Puno becomes president.

The C-Town is Outside MMDA Jurisdiction

Sep 21 2007

C-Town, East side --- This is what we lovingly call our hometown Cainta, Rizal. Gateway to the East and all that crap. We just love it for being what it is: a quiet little suburban town, flood waters and all.

The Junction: technically, every major intersection is called a junction. The EDSA-Shaw intersection is a junction, as is EDSA corner Aurora. But most people know of only one junction, and that is the Cainta Junction. That's why it's spelled with a capital J. Just say "Junction," and they'll know that you mean the one in C-Town.

Just this week, major changes have happened in the Junction. Excess concrete was being hacked away from the buildings, in an effort to "expand" the sidewalk. And by Thursday, we see those fuschia-colored chicken wires springing up the sidewalks. What happened here?

Apparently, our former-newscaster-turned-mayor Ramon "Mon" Ilagan decided to enlist the help of the MMDA, in order to beautify this little suburban town. Was it even ugly in the first place?

I smell a bid for cityhood here. Well, if majority of the C-Town's residents would want this to be a city, I can't stop them. But if the Mayor wants to use Mr. BF's help, they should at least take out the MMDA logos on the chicken wires, and on the demolition trucks. The MMDA has absolutely NO jurisdiction over here, because the C-Town is a part of Region IV. Cainta is not, and never was, a part of the Metro Manila Council, and as such, cannot use the MMDA, directly or indirectly, for any purpose.

So Mr. Mayor, please study the rules, and do everything the legal way. And Mr. Bitch-Fit, please take your iron hand elsewhere.

(This is my first attempt at a political and social commentary.)

(originally posted in stinglacson.multiply.com, Sep 21, '07 3:34 AM.)