The Struggling Blogger

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza put President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the spot. Arroyo herself was caught by surprise, she covered her face with her hands, and she was so embarassed.

Before the cabinet meeting today, Dureza said the opening prayer where he asked God to “bless the President” and that she may continue “leading the nation until 2010, and perhaps even beyond”

Dureza trying to escape the embarrassment said that even God has a sense of humor, and the usual escape artist that these personality are, he added that he also said “in her personal and private capacity.”

This doesn’t look good…

not good at all.

The recent hold-up robbery at the UP Diliman campus where a bank teller and his security guard escorts were shot to death, reminds me of the time when I was still a roving teller at a bank. That was way bank in 1992 when I was just starting with the then Far East Bank.

Everyday I ride the armored van to pick-up deposits from clients and bring them to bank for crediting to their account. I was given a bulletproof vest and a helmet then, which I rarely wear because they were heavy and uncomfortable to wear.
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“I appeal to the public to please give him a chance….” This was the appeal of relatives of Claudio Teehankee Jr., the convicted murderer who was given presidential favor… err clemency. Because after all, as they have said before, he has already served 20 years inside the jail.

Fact is, he did serve time, and rightly so because he did a crime. He played god and took the life of another human being. And even if he stayed inside the rest of his life, it won’t bring back the life that he took… an act that he did, because he can.

Maybe in the spirit of forgiving and reconciliation, he might just deserve a second chance… but to paint a scenario that he is also a victim here is an absolute insanity. He did time because he must pay for what he did.

I am not even in the shoes of the victim’s relatives and I am already this outraged, just imagine how they feel. That is why I can’t help but wear a sour grin everytime I hear them say “Please give him a second chance…”

Easy for them to say.

Yes, I believe that everybody does deserve a second chance… but is EVERYBODY really getting a second chance?

DEFINE EVERYBODY.

Some authorities are abused, and some are abused. What rights has President Arroyo to pardon a criminal when she was not the one who was wronged? This executive clemency thing is really a ridicule to our already inutile justice system.

Color me unforgiving, but the 21 years spent by Claudio Teehankee Jr. inside jail isn’t enough to pay for his killing of the late Maureen Hultman. Sure, release all the criminals out in the street, why don’t you. And just leave those poor innocent people inside because they do not know any high profile government official.

I’d like to write to some more, but I fear that if I continue I may curse and write unprintables here. I’m sure, this isn’t the lone blog that will talk about this. Right now, this much I can say… “nothing beats being friend to the president”

The current roster of Celebrity Duets contestants include MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando. Well, among the current crops of president wannabe’s, BF is my most probable bet. What with his no-nonsense political will that enforces law no matter who gets hit. That is why he caught the ire of a former MMDA chairman (also a wannabe), because BF has accomplished what was only in his drawing board, to say the least.

But BF’s inclusion in the Celebrity Duet is I guess not a very smart move, as far as his political plan is concern. Sure, he can carry a tune, but that’s not the point here. I fear that this will actually be used against him, politicians being the ever-resourceful and creative people that they are, can turn this action of the MMDA chairnman to their advantage.
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