Author: Julian Alejandro

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago lost her bid to become the first woman chief justice, INQ7 reports.

The report said the Judicial and Bar Council voted against extending the nomination period. This prevented Miriam, who was nominated by a group called Young Lawyer’s Association of the Philippines, from being among Gloria “Hello Garci” Arroyo’s choices for Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.’s replacement.

A brief backgrounder about Miriam. (View her complete bio-data here):

In the early 1990s, many young Filipinos–including this writer–were fooled into believing that Miriam, an intelligent and feisty judge and University of the Philippines alumni known for her unique accent, was the leader that this country had been been dreaming of.

The man also known as “Hello Garci” will surface and link opposition politicians to the issue of election fraud, an iGMA report said.

Yes, he was caught on record talking with other politicians. But the main character in the “Hello Garci,” other than Garci himself, is the woman talking to him. Shouldn’t that woman who wanted to “lead by more than 1 M” votes be the bida in his story?

But then again, what could we expect? He’s supposed to defend his “Ma’am.” How he will do it is worth waiting for.

“Hello, Garci! D2 na ba u?” must be the SMS message currently being composed in the minds of the citizens of world’s texting capital. Yes, we’re all wondering: Is Former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio “Hello Garci” Garcillano already here in the Philippines?

It looks like Immigration Commissioner Alipio Fernandez–provincemate of Ate Glue’s patrons, former President Fidel Ramos and House Speaker Jose De Venecia–has lots of things to explain.

Indeed, the “Hello Garci” mobile telenovela isn’t over yet. The current public interest in Garci’s reported return belies the Palace’s pronouncements that the “Hello Garci” issue is already dead.

The Pekeng Pangulo Googlebombing campaign of Young Radicals and Youth-Dare actually worked. Typing the phrase “pekeng pangulo” in Google would now lead you to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s website.

After the killing of Ricardo “Ding” Uy of DZRS-AM in Sorsogon City last Friday, another Filipino mediaman was murdered on Sunday night. Robert Ramos of the tabloid Katapat based in Laguna, was killed by two gunmen around 8 p.m. Sunday (November 20) in front of a market in barangay Looc, Cabuyao town, Laguna.

NUJP said Ramos was the 72st Filipino journalist murdered since 1986, the 35th journalist murdered since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took power in January 2001, the 9th journalist murdered this year, and the 2nd in less than 60 hours.

Don’t the enemies of press freedom get tired?

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines today reported another killing of a radio announcer in Sorsogon City this morning.

Reports received by NUJP say Ricardo “Ding” Uy of DZRS-AM in Sorsogon City was shot by a lone gunman his house.

The parents of Muhammad Jamail Sultan— a two-year old boy with biliary atresia, a congenital liver problem–have put up a website to help raise funds for their child’s operation.

Rosario and Jamail Sultan use the website that a friend created to solicit donation for a liver transplant that MJ needs.

“MJ is strong and happy baby. He has an easily smile for everyone. He acts like any baby should. he’s got big bright eyes that seems to take in everything. We call him a ‘fighter’. So let us give him a fighting chance,” the website states.

“He will soon die, unless he gets a liver transplant,” it added.

Visit and help MJ at http://jamailsultan.sanktuaryo.com/

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