Skating on thin ice

“Don’t be surprised when a crack in the ice appears under your feet. You slip out of your depth and out of your mind with your fear flowing out behind you.” -The thin ice, Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)

THE animosity on social media has really taken off. People whom I thought I knew to be discerning and critical are sharing obvious propaganda passing off as journalistic work. Even people who are close to me by blood have been espousing hatred towards political dissenters of the republic which he based on an article written by paid hacks of the “fifth column.”

It pains me to see government employees, career bureaucrats, and academics swallow President Digong Dada’s hate rhetorics–hook, line, and sinker. Hasn’t it occurred to them that hate escalates? It’s like wildfire. You keep fanning on the flames of hate, you will get burned eventually. When it does, please don’t act surprised, aghast or scandalized at the level of hatred floating around because we did our part in it.

How do you think the Rwanda genocide started? It started with hate propaganda against an entire class of people broadcast on local radio over and over until the collective psyché of the people snapped. Hate took a life on its own. Interesting sidebar to this is that it was fanned by religious people. Just like what the fictional international crime lord on the TV series “The Blacklist” said: “Hell hath no fury than a fundamentalist scorned.”

Trolls and even actual people who behave like trolls on social media have been fanning this great ball of hate. With all the available information online, methinks these people consciously choose to be ignorant like fanatics in a cult. I agree with Prof. Ben Domingo when he posted online: “Trolls do not deserve an explanation.”

I mean what can you really do or say when the person you are trying to reach out to has decided to believe in the alternative reality this regime has whipped up. I used the word: decision, because it is exactly that–a conscious choice to shut out dissenting opinions and perspectives. One cannot even call for sobriety online without being branded as either a “dilawan” or an “adik.”

The “us and them” tactical narrative is as old as time. The generals and czars used it to divide and conquer. It even has a biblical version: “If you are not with us, you are against us.”

As for me, I take solace in the thought that the age-old primeval law of self-preservation will ultimately kick in. Human beings can only eat so much bull crap in their lifetime.

Matuwid na daan: crooked as a trapo

23 November 2012

TODAY, we mourn the passing away of yet another year as justice remains elusive to the victims of the infamous Ampatuan Massacre.

Three years ago, 58 individuals—32 of whom were journalists and media workers—were brutally waylaid in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province, in the worst election-related violence ever in the history of our republic.

Three years after, 96 of the 196 accused of taking part in the massacre, are still at-large. Until now, the case is virtually locked in a limbo of motions and bail hearings. While the case has dragged on at a snail's pace, suspicious-looking characters—riding in tandem—have been reportedly hounding some of the more outspoken relatives of the massacre victims.

Three years is too long a time and justice that is THIS delayed is justice DENIED.

It is bad enough that the massacre earned us the international poster cover for impunity. The International Freedom of Expression Exchange Network (IFEX)—a federation of 90 independent organizations worldwide advocating freedom of expression—has declared, every 23^rd of November, as the International Day to End Impunity.

We condemn the downright insensitive remark of Malacañan Palace downplaying the unabated human rights violations as “leftist propaganda.” There is something seriously amiss when witnesses and complainants of human rights violations are harassed and hunted down faster than government could arrest the suspects.

Today, we also mourn the death of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill in the 15^th Congress. By letting FOI Bill die, it is now crystal clear to Mr. Aquino's “Boss” that his now lame campaign slogan: Matuwid na daan, is actually as crooked as a traditional politician.

Justice for the victims of the Ampatuan Massacre and the continuing reign of the culture of impunity!

Uphold the freedom of expression and of the press!

End Impunity Now!

Reference:

Cong B. Corrales

Chapter Vice Chair

NUJP CdO

0935.909.8033

nujp.cdo@gmail.com

More tricks than treat

Everyday is Halloween in the Philippines.

Yes, I'm talking about the pagan ritual that has somehow found its way into the culture and tradition in the only Christian-predominant country in the southeast Asia.

But it is not the fun kind of Halloween. Here, it is mostly trick rather than treat. Worse, the "tricks" are done by creatures far scarier than the undead and ghouls--politicians.

Open letter to President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III

Once enacted into law, the FOI Act will become the cornerstone of your administration's adherence to accountability, transparency and good governance. It will immortalize your leadership, sir.

Dear Mr. President:

Let me start off by saying that a well-informed electorate forms the better part of a genuinely democratic country. As journalists, our role in this supposed democratic society is quite well-defined. We are the fourth estate—our mandate is to inform and educate the electorate so that the latter can arrive at intelligent decisions.

I have it on good authority—actually he's one of your cabinet members—that you are inclined to let the Freedom of Information Act "die a natural death" in the 15th Congress.

Fear, ignorance and muzzling of the inherent right of every person to access public information has no place in a society you have declared, again and again, a free market of ideas.

Contrary to what your advisers are telling you, the call for the passage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) is not only a demand of the media sector. This law will actually put into practice your campaign slogan, “Matuwid na daan.”

Once enacted into law, the FOI Act will become the cornerstone of your administration's adherence to accountability, transparency and good governance. It will immortalize your leadership, sir.

The access to public information is not only the concern of media but of the general public. It is our right to know how the people we elected into offices spend our taxes as well as policies and decisions that affect our everyday lives.

Honestly, Mr. President, I was disappointed, to say the least, when you signed into law the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175) instead of the Freedom of Information Act, that has been gathering dust since the 14th Congress.

I have faith that you will be the kind of leader what my hero--your father, Senator Benigno Aquino--would have wanted you to be.

I respectfully request you, Mr. President sir, to prioritize the enactment of the Freedom of Information and while you're at it, aggressively move to repeal the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

I believe you can still be the better man.

I respectfully remain.

Most sincerely yours,

Cong B. Corrales
One of your "bosses"

Of bloggers and awkward sexual tensions

LIKE whiplash, everything seemed to moved at least a millisecond faster when you are having a great time. Met with some really interesting and bubbly people.

At first, I sort of dreaded the thought of meeting bloggers. Well, maybe dread is too much of a word to described what I felt that time but as I am writing this post I'm already ETC (End of Thinking Capacity). I don't know but bloggers intimidate me. Maybe it's because I don't know squat about these people. These people, I supposed, are active and veteran netizens.

This medium is new to me, you see.

However, because of the 13 bumbling Senators and the equally bumbling President who passed the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175), I felt compelled to reach out to these people if only to rally as much local dissent we can muster to call for the repeal of this law.

With nervous energy, I went and met them.

Much to my chagrin, I was so wrong. I enjoyed meeting and knowing their acquaintance. And so we chewed the fat and that's that.

Oh, about the "awkward sexual tensions" bit. I just put that in the title so you would read the entire post. Well, I got you to read my mumblings right? d^_^\m/