Sendong 2.0

“Most floods are caused by man, not weather; deforestation, levee construction, erosion, and overgrazing all result in the loss of ecosystem services.” -Paul Hawken

IT felt weird looking at oddly familiar scenes and smelling the same odor as I was coming home to Consolacion on Saturday night.

Riding the trisikad from UCCP’s main church, I was greeted with the fetid smell of mud and debris. As we turned a corner on Burgos Street, a husband was gently stroking his spouse to comfort her. They were both squatting in the mud. The woman was crying profusely as she looked at a heap of assorted things in ankle-deep of mud — their belongings, I presumed.

Moving on to District 2 of Consolacion, people were busy shoveling mud off their houses while their children helped by falling in line with containers for water at a firetruck that parked near the chapel. The sun had come out later that day, so at 5-ish pm, I could still see all these things.

Earlier that day, we evacuated our home, “Crow’s Nest,” when the city hall’s Disaster Resiliency and Reduction Management Department hoisted the “code red alert.” It was a good 30 minutes before the barangay counterpart switched the emergency siren on which meant forced evacuation was being implemented.

We agreed that my ex-girlfriend and the kids would stay at her sister’s house uptown while I would report for work.

However, a close family friend couldn’t leave his chickens in his backyard. He lives nearer the river than us and we had expected it would be flooded as soon as Cagayan River swelled. So, it was agreed that he bring his poultry animals in our house which was on the second floor of my ex-girlfriend’s ancestral home.

So, it was a win-win agreement. Crow’s Nest would be secured from burglars while our friend and his feathery friends would be out of harm’s way.

He was alone at Crow’s Nest at the height of the flooding. He would text or call me for updates.

Before I continue, I’d like to give a shoutout of thanks to friends who sent photos and videos via the private message of how our block looked as the severe tropical storm Vinta barreled through the city.

For the first time since typhoon Sendong, I was watching our house getting flooded from the outside looking in.

The difference with Vinta, however, was that we were prepared. We prepared our minds even before Vinta made landfall. We charged all our cell phones because we knew, just like in Sendong, that power would be cut off once the flooding starts. We stored two gallons of mineral water. We packed our grab bags which contained toiletries, three-day worth of clothes, and important documents sealed in zip-lock plastic bags. We did these on Thursday night.

I guess experience is the best teacher.

City hall was well-prepared and systems were already in place. So that when the river swelled up to its critical point of nine meters, every department — from the police, fire brigade, civilian rescue teams — were already doing what they were tasked to do.

The mayor was on top of things. He wasn’t visually bossing around people, smoking cigarettes and pointing orders. He was at the command center since Thursday night monitoring Vinta via satellite feed.

The city’s information office did not elude the questions of the press and answered the questions in succinct and clear manner. They gave out critical updates on their social media platforms.

I was even surprised with my neighbors. During Sendong and typhoon Pablo before, in my opinion, they were the most bull-headed people on earth. They ignored the alerts during the Pablo onslaught. Sendong, on the other hand, had no alerts whatsoever. Well, that’s that.

One Sendong is enough for a wise guy and the city rose up to the occasion and overcame another Christmas Grinch.

The zero casualty in the city, despite the widespread flooding in the city, is a testament to how well-prepared the people of Kagay-an are.

Kudos, Kagay-an! Now, where’s that leftover ham?

Ai and I

THIS is the story of how I met my soul mate.

Two days from today, my ex-girlfriend and I will have been married for 23 years. It may sound cheesy but it really doesn’t feel like 23 years have gone by.

We met on a convenient arrangement. She had just broken up with her boyfriend and I was looking for one — girlfriend, silly. We were both studying at Xavier University then. Her Juniors’ Night was up and coming and she had already paid for two.

Luckily, a mutual friend — her batchmate at the college of education and my peer at the Ateneo Catechetical Instruction League — introduced us in the old canteen. Yes, the one to the left of the Immaculate Chapel in the XU main campus.

That time, however, I wasn’t really a boyfriend material. I was really in a bad place. I told our mutual friend that as a disclaimer since I don’t want to be disappointing her friend whom she was doing a favor.

She told me not to be silly and that the date was just so my ex-girlfriend’s extra ticket won’t go to waste.

Sure enough, I was 30 minutes late on their Juniors’ Night. I had just come from a gathering of some friends and had to go home in Villa Ernesto (read: Gusa) to change.

But when I saw her that night. It was really a sight to behold. She was wearing a dress that hugged every curve of her body. She was absolutely stunning.

We slow-danced which was totally useless because everything that night seemed to play in slow motion. Her almond eyes and her vibrant smile was intoxicating.

When the night was over I kissed her good night. I was so not over her for the rest of the month.

A week after, our mutual friend and I held a drinking marathon at the old Caesar’s bar on Capistrano. On a dare, I asked where my ex-girlfriend live. She told me “Consolacion”.

I was already tipsy when I went to my ex-girlfriend’s place. She was already in her PJs with no makeup on. But still stunning.

I told her I wanted to be her boyfriend. Selfish asshat that I am, I didn’t really know how to woo a girl. I told her I wasn’t leaving until she said, “Yes”.

She did give me her “yes”. To up the ante, I told her I wasn’t leaving until she gave me a kiss like what mamas and papas do. She hesitated.

Then she kissed me and I kissed back. Suddenly out of nowhere, her aunt shrieked: “Hala ka! Si Ailynnakighalok diri sa hagdanan!”

My now mother-in-law told me in a relaxed voice that I’d better leave before her husband comes home from a drinking binge with the other village toughies.

I left immediately.

From that time on, we’d have picnics on a patch of lawn beside the ACIL office. Her reading a book while I pester her with my silly songs with my guitar.

Bai, you have been with me through thick and thin — well, mostly thin — and that’s exactly the reason why 23 years feel inconsequential.

Here’s to another 23 years, bai. I love you more or in Latin: Labia Majora.

Vendetta, not accountability (2)

“The past can’t hurt you anymore unless you let it.” -Alan Moore, V for Vendetta

THE following are the other characters in this charade of justice called the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

If you were watching the same impeachment hearing on television last week, I would not blame you if you feel like it’s a déjà vu. It has been as fast as the congressional inquiry against Sen. Leila de Lima.

So far, we have mentioned two of the characters behind this show. The bruised lawyer and the architect predicated the complaint. Now let’s dig deeper into the cast and characters.

The Pork-Loving Butterfly

The chairman of the House committee on justice is in charge of facilitating the deliberation on the impeachment complaint against Sereno. He is none other than Oriental Mindoro 2nd District Rep. Reynaldo Umali.

What is his beef against Sereno, you ask?

To be fair, he may have a grudge against all the justices who ruled that the Priority Development Assistance Funds unconstitutional or pork barrel.

In September 2013, he was accused of funneling P10 million into a non-government organization allegedly owned by the alleged pork barrel queen herself, Janet Lim-Napoles. In his defense, Umali claimed that the money did not come from his pork barrel but from the then Agriculture Secretary Presco Alcala’s Priority Development Fund.

In December 2013, Umali revealed that he was working on impeachment cases against as many as three Supreme Court justices for flip-flopping on their decisions on the PDAF.

You must remember that Sereno was already the chief justice when the High Tribunal ruled the PDAF unconstitutional.

Let’s not also forget that Umali first belonged to the Liberal Party. That’s right, the “dilawan.” He skittered on to the now ruling party, PDP-Laban, just as the so-called supermajority was forming in the Lower House.

The Bypassed Justice

One male Supreme Court Justice has been poised to be the next chief justice. At least, that’s what he has allegedly been saying to the SC staff for the longest time.

According to reports from SC staff, he makes frequent proclamations that he will be the next chief justice and his wife will be the next presiding justice of the Court of Appeals.

So, you can just imagine his dismay when the then President Benigno Simeon Aquino III chose Sereno over him as the next chief justice. This decision, however, was not entirely a vindictive move on the part of PNoy.

Talk has it that he deliberately did not submit an application during the process of discernment for appointing the next chief justice. He felt that he was a shoo-in for the position and his regular visits to Malacañang have given him that assurance (of sorts).

The Meme Girl

A meme, with the picture of another SC justice on it, has been going around on social media platforms with the caption: “I-tag mo ang ka opisina mo na backstabber.”

Insiders at SC claim she went the rounds to seek the support of other justices against Sereno. To quote: “She does her rounds with judges on a mission to spread gossip about the Chief Justice.”

However, Sereno still supported her in her bid as head of the Women’s Judges Association of which she still heads to this day.

In 2011, she was accused of misusing funds. The World Bank told her that the SC will have to return the US$199 thousand (P8.6 million) of the US$21-million loan which was meant for judicial reform but was instead used for projects not covered by the loan agreement.

In July this year, the Justice allegedly circulated a memorandum to the other SC justices containing the very same three objections in lawyer Lorenzo Gadon’s 27-allegation complaint against Sereno.

So, there. That cast of characters complete the Sereno impeachment circus. If your suspects behind this circus aren’t listed in this two-part series, then chances are you are more inquisitive than I am. Please do contact me, electronically or personally, so we can add those to my next My Wit’s End.

However, you have to back it up with facts. We don’t just whip up something out of thin air. Don’t be afraid because you’ll also be covered by the Sotto Law.

Also referred to as the Press Freedom Law (RA 53), the Sotto Law protects the publisher, editor, columnist or duly accredited reporter of any newspaper, magazine or periodical of general circulation. It protects the journalist from being compelled to name his news source.

Yesterday, Digong Dada submitted his proposal for the extension of martial rule in Mindanao. So let’s maximize the rights and civil liberties we have now while we still can.

Vendetta, not accountability

“Behind this mask is an idea and ideas are bulletproof.” — Alan Moore, V for Vendetta

NOW it can be told. Now the rogues in barongs have been unmasked. The cast and characters behind the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno are out for vengeance and are not exactly out to exact accountability from the head of the High Tribunal.

Out for Vengeance

The 27-allegation complaint against Sereno filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon before the Lower House’s committee on justice would lead us to believe that Sereno has been committing crimes against the people and so, she should be impeached.

However, political analyst Ramon Casiple, during a forum of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines on Oct. 12, told the audience that Gadon personally told him that the latter filed the impeachment complaint about three reasons:

(1) To avenge Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo;

(2) To avenge the impeachment of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona; and

(3) To ensure that Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. gets the vice presidency.

The Architect

Before Gadon filed the complaint, it can be recalled that the Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez started the impeachment buzz against Sereno in the Lower House. He was the one who made public that 25 representatives have endorsed the impeachment complaint.

Alvarez’ mettle with Sereno dates back to when the two were embroiled in the cases involving Philippine International Air Terminals Company Inc (Piatco).

Acting then as Manila International Airport Authority assistant manager and, later, Department of Transport and Communications secretary, Alvarez allegedly funneled millions of pesos into his and his friends’ pockets while working on Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. This was done through alleged under-the-table deals, bloating declared budget, and allegedly sub-contracting the construction firm owned by his wife.

However, Sereno, one of the hired counsels of the Office of the Secretary-General, foiled the alleged money-making operations of an arbitral tribunal which caused the Piatco Group to lose them in two arbitration cases.

So as it appears now, he seemed to have designed the impeachment complaint and make it appear that they are pushing the Duterte administration’s no-nonsense stand against corrupt government officials.