Miriam Santiago must be thinking that since the election campaign period is over, it’s time for people like her to hog the limelight. In her case, she did twice within the span of a week.
Last week, she called senators who refrained from pork barrel as “gago”. She always get away in saying stupidsilly things, like that famous “I lied ha ha ha” idiocy eons ago (I think that quote got her re-elected).
Now, she claims that Senator Antonio Trillanes IV will have to serve his term in jail until he is acquitted. She cited the Constitution’s equal protection clause and the case of the pardoned, convicted child rapist Romeo Jalosjos. The news item cites her as a constitutional expert, which for me is argumentum ad verecundiam.
It is argumentum ad verecundiam because the assertion that Trillanes will have to serve in jail is not valid just because a so-called Constitutional expert says so. Besides, the case of Jalosjos and Trillanes are different. Here is the Supreme Court decision, People v. Jalosjos, on Jalosjos’ appeal to be allowed to serve in Congress, which Santiago cited. In the Jalosjos case, he ran as congressman after he was convicted and his case was on appeal. In Trillanes’ case, he is charged but not yet convicted.
Now, while this case is worthy of a lengthy blog post, let’s concentrate on Santiago instead. She did not have to dip her fingers on the issue. She was not asked to issue an opinion; she released a press statement. She has the right to express her opinion, true, but I can’t help but ask – why? And the fact that her opinion is debatable makes things more fuzzy.
Maybe she is gunning for 2010?
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Argue on the issue of Trillanes. Here are some statutes to guide you in the discussion:
* In her concurring opinion on People v. Jalosjos, Justice Gonzaga-Reyes quoted Article III, Section 13 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, to wit:
All persons, except those charged with offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua when evidence of guilt is strong, shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties, or be released on recognizance as may be provided by law. The right to bail shall not be impaired even when the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended. Excessive bail shall not be required.
* She also quoted Article VI, Section 11 of the same document:
A Senator of Member of the House of Representatives shall, in all offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest while the Congress is in session. No Member shall be questioned nor be held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Congress or in any committee thereof.
* The main opinion in the Jalosjos case cites Article III, Section 1:
No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.
Which brings us to the next.
* Jalosjos’ motion cites Aguinaldo v. Santos (212 SCRA 768, at 773 [1992]):
The Court should never remove a public officer for acts done prior to his present term of office. To do otherwise would be to deprive the people of their right to elect their officers. When a people have elected a man to office, it must be assumed that they did this with the knowledge of his life and character, and that they disregarded or forgave his fault or misconduct, if he had been guilty of any. It is not for the Court, by reason of such fault or misconduct, to practically overrule the will of the people.
Note that the said case pertains to an administrative one.
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Clinically insane.
2010 Malacanang or Mandaluyong? Start a mental health program now.
She’s just repaying the junkets she joined. Brenda’s ranting is similar to a dog with rabies. We all know what end a rabid dog meets.
I agree with Arthur, all roads lead to Mandaluyong and I hope Abalos joins her there.
I realized last night that she is not gunning for 2010. She is still hoping for a seat at the SC!
Brenda is definitely aiming to be the first woman to grab the top position in our Courts. Kaya lakas magsipsip.
Hi, Vincent, you conveniently forgot that she is a liar several times, and she changes sides like how you flip a light switch.
And so? So does that mean we just let things be because everyone lies anyway? Then let’s strike out perjury from our statute books.
“ang taong hindi nagbabago ng isip ay hindi nag-iisip.” Wrong. Changing sides for the sake of political expediency is the wrong kind of change.
And I don’t believe in sayings. They may generally be true, but they can also be wrong.
If that is not political expediency, I don’t know what to call it. Turncoatism? Balimbing?
Wow! Naging Pinoy Big Brother.
‘Di ba’t instigator yan sa EDSA 3 nuon? Now she’s dancing with the devil, ang polika nga naman. No permanent allies just permanent ambitions! ‘Di kaya nagugulat yang commenter mo kung saan nanggaling lahat ng ginastos niyan sa kampanya? Tumakbong senador, presidente tapos senador ulit. Wala namang pinagkakakitaang iba. ‘Di ba’t yan din ang nag-bulgar kung papano gumawa ng pera sa senado? Pano kaya niya alam? Hmmmm….
Why should I answer a question that is (1) a red herring; (2) does not apply to the situation; and(3) a loaded question?
Again, you resort to sayings that can be wrong. Change for the best, turncoatism, political expediency, same banana.
I don’t have the money to run a campaign, and I am not willing to compromise my principles for the sake of expediency. Unlike Miriam.
Hi Arbet, my question was not something that draws attention away from the central issue. Aminin mo na kaya di mo sinagot ang tanong ko kasi alam mo na tama at may ponto iyon.
I did not resort to sayings that can be wrong. Kung hindi nagbabago ang hugis ng pangangatawan mo, kung palaging mukhang bago o di lumuluma iyang suot mong damit maniniwala na ako sayo na ang change is not constant.
The truth is you are not willing to compromise your principles for the sake of expediency because what you have are sickening and embryonic principles.
At naniwala ka naman agad na qualified kang maging runningmate ni Miriam..hehehe…
Hi Schumey, di mo yata alam yung tinatawag na fund raising. Nag-aambag ang mga taong naniniwala sa kakayahan ni Miriam noong siya ang tumakbong presidente. Maraming kaibigan si Miriam na mga mayayaman na legal ang mga hanap-buhay na sumusuporta sa kanya sa tuwing siya’y tatakbo sa halalan. Kailanman di si Miriam nagnakaw lalo na sa kaban ng bayan di tulad ng mga minamahal at pinagtatanggol ninyong mga kurakot at mga inutil na mga politiko.
To Arbet: my question was not something that draws attention away from the central issue. Aminin mo na kaya di mo sinagot ang tanong ko kasi alam mo na tama at may ponto iyon.
I did not resort to sayings that can be wrong. Kung hindi nagbabago ang hugis ng pangangatawan mo, kung palaging mukhang bago o di lumuluma iyang suot mong damit maniniwala na ako sayo na ang change is not constant.
The truth is you are not willing to compromise your principles for the sake of expediency because what you have are sickening and embryonic principles.
At naniwala ka naman agad na qualified kang maging runningmate ni Miriam..hehehe…
Si Arbet talo ko sa debate. Pikon kaya binura niya ang mga comments ko kasi alam niya na talo ko siya sa argumento. Hahahah…Talo si Arbet pikon pa hahaha..ikaw pala Arbet ang tunay na brenda kasi binura mo ang mga comments ng mga nagcomment. Baliw si Arbet! Kamukha pa niya ang palaka! hahaha…
May fund raising ding iba. Yun bang ang tawag ay extortion. Walang mayamang nasa tama niyang pag-iisip na sumuporta sa isang baliw. Pwera na lang kung sila ay na-ambunan ng mga paborableng desisyon ni Brenda. Meron ding blackmail at lobbying. Hindi na bago ang mga yan.
Kilala ko yang si Arbet, ikaw hindi. Kung meron ditong pikon ay ikaw yun. Katulad ka ng idol mong nag-tatantrum kapag di nakuha ang gusto.
Basahin mo ang mga huli mong komento, di ba’t kababawan yan ng pag-iisip? Pero ayos lang, pinakita mo ang tunay mong kulay at antas ng iyong pag-intindi. Ganyan nga, magbunyi ka. Tawagin mong pikon ang may-ari ng blog na ito.
My advice to you is to create your own blog and praise your idol there. Maybe, just maybe, Arbet and I might drop by and give you a dose of your own medicine. Then let’s see who is pikon.
Ha ha hah… No one in this life can easily offend me anymore. Kayo lang ni Arbet? Mapipikon na ako? ha ha ha.. No way..
Inaakusahan mo si Miriam ng extortion? Ha ha ha.. ang akusasyon mo ay parang nagsasabi ka na ang lalaki ay maaring mabuntis.. hahaha..Your accusation against Miriam is more than impossible.. Si Miriam ay allergic sa ganung bagay di tulad ng mga minamahal at sinusuportahan ninyong mga kurakot at inutil na mga politiko na siyang kinaugaliang gawin.
FYI: Tantrum is perfectly natural. Even God has it when (Genesis 6:6) HE wiped out almost all mankind from the face of the earth. (God forgive me for involving your NAME here.)
My last comment was not a form of shallow-mindedness but an art and way of vexing. Ha ha ha..And it worked, the two of you got infuriated.
I actually don’t accept advice from someone like you who is a lover of corrupt politicians and an ally of forces of evil. I only accept advice from someone who loves honest people and has an encyclopedic intelligence.
You truly deserve Miriam. You have the same principles. You surely both know what truth and honesty is all about.
Sad to say, you don’t know how to accept the truth. Just like when Miriam did not get the SC seat, she ranted and raved. Expletives spew out of her mouth whenever she doesn’t get her way. Just like Tulfo, she is all talk. Tell me, did she ever grieve for those poor who died in EDSA 3? She was one of those who pushed them to storm Malacanang. The poor people were left hanging, and were was she?
Hehehe, nice try. I am not infuriated by your barbs, in fact it amused me. Its nice to make fun at people who cannot decipher right from wrong. You just showed your true unprincipled, child-like self.
Hey you certain schumey & arbet, you little insects, you little nothing, how could you attack the good senator Santiago just like that??? You know, Miriam has already proven to the whole world her worth: One of the outstanding senator of the Philippines, having contributed countless wisdom to the laws being crafted by our congress. She has absolutely proven to the whole world that she is an important figure of this country.
Eh… kayong dalawa dyan, i’m very sure na kahit sa sariling bahay or sitio or barangay ninyo, wala kayong mga silbi. Tumahimik nga kayong dalawa kasi wala jayong comparison kahit sa pinakabobong katulong ni Miriam.
Miriam Forever!!!!
Haay naku vincent, hwag na intindihin ang mga naiinggit kay Miriam… Kasi, kahit ilang blogs pa ang gawin nila just to destroy the “one & only idol of the youth, always imitated but never equalled senadora”…. wala pa rin silang magawa dahil di naman significant ang mga gumawa ng mga basurang blog na iyan in the first place!!!!
Miriam is Miriam. Pinakamagaling na abogada ng Pilipinas. Pinakamagaling the senadora ng ating bansa. No doubt. inggit kayo. Phweeh
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