Political Shorts

It is really ironic na nasasaktan ang mga die-hard Duterte followers sa mga konting sundot kay Sara sa confidential funds.

Pero kung sila ang pasimuno ng mga below-the-belt na akusasyon like the polvoron issue.... ay okey lang?

                                     ****************

When Alan Peter Cayetano promised his constituents na hindi ka mababaha sa Taguig ... hindi siya siguro nakapaalam sa  Taong Makapangyarihan sa Itaas.

Kung kailan seryoso si Alan ... saka naman dumating ang ulan at baha. Nakalublob tuloy sa maputik na tubig ang Taguig.

                                     ****************

Naniniwala naman ang mga tao, kasi para siyang sugo ng langit, hawak palagi ang kaniyang Bibliya.

Biro tuloy ni Katrina Enrile: Hindi sigro nakarating ang memo ni Alan sa langit ... pati na rin ang memo sa baha.

                                     ****************

Quotable Quotes:

Sara Duterte: Mga kababayan ... lubog na ang bansa sa baha at kahirapan.  Pero tila walang mananagot.

Ante Cler: Doon po sa lubog na ang bansa sa baha ... totoo naman po. Kitang-kita naman natin ito sa Davao City.

                                     ****************

Nakikinig ba ng mabuti ang lahat? Sabi ni Ante Cler, "Ang ibang guro ..." wala pang 15 minutes hugos ang isang infantry ng mga trolls bashing her at nilahat daw niya ang mga guro sa kanyang reklamo.

Paano natin maimprove ang ating critical listening and auditory comprehension kung iba ang inyong interpretation sa mga salitang sinabi?

                                     ****************

Ang pagmumura ng direktor na si Darryl Yap kay Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro ay umani ng iba't ibang reaksiyon tungkol sa tamang asal at hangganan ng pagpuna sa mga opisyal ng pamahalaan.

 Marami ang nagsabi na kahit galit siya sa pahayag ni Castro laban sa ilang mga guro, hindi angkop o bastos ang paggamit ng mabibigat na mura sa isang pampublikong plataporma. 

                                     ****************

Sabi ni Jonvic Remulla: " The Robin Padilla Law" made illegal firearms bailable, directly causing a surge in gun crimes.

Congress should step in now to make loose firearms non-bailable again to prevent more bloodshed.

                                     ****************

Sa haba ng sinabi ni Remulla ... yong "The Robin Padilla Law" lang ang ang kanyang narinig.

Tinawag niyang kaibigan si Jonvic ... ang hindi niya alam at naintiendihan ay nanawagan na pala sa mga congressman at pinawalang bisa na pala ang LAW na pinagmalaki niyang kanya.

                                     ****************

Maraming salamat po sa aking kaiigang Jonvic Remulla. Atleast siya ang nagpapatunay doon sa mga hindi naka-alam o nagmamatigas na merong Robin Padilla Law.

Ang babaw talaga ng kaligayahan ni Idol! At nagmayabang pa siya.

                                     ****************

Enter sa frame naman si Sec. Ronald Llamas ... isang true-blue kritiko ni Robin.

Ang RA 8294 ay tinatawag na Robin Padilla Law ... hindi dahil siya ang author ng batas ... kundi dahil siya ang unang nakinabang. Gets?

                                     ****************

Hindi yan magets ni Robin.  Ang importante sa kanya ay nakapangalan sa kanya ang batas.

Kesehodang hindi siya ang author. At dahil sensitive siya at vindictive ... baka mamaya babalikan niya si Ronald at kutyaing: "Bakit may Ronald Llamas Law ba?

                                     ****************

Hindi rin paawat si Atty Jesus Falcis: "Sana ang lahat ay katulad ni Robin."

Sinaksak na nga siya ni Jonvic sa likod ... nagpapasalamat pa siya at tinawag niyang kaibigan. Aray ...

                                     ****************

May bago na namang kritiko si Robin. Muling umani kasi ng puna kaugnay nga mga usaping paggamit ng mga alias ng ilang mga politiko. Former DILG secretary Rafael Alunan na matagal ng nanahimik ay muling bumangon sa kanyang pagkahimbing dahil hindi na siya makatiis.

Naniniwala ako diyan. Kailangan ilabas ang mga hinaing. As they say ... when the heart is full ... the mouth speaks.

                                     ****************

Ang anaat ni Alunan "Where does Robin get his confidence to say the most preposterous comments that invites ridicule? Must be divine punishment."

Sumabay din ang mga netizens. " His confidence makes him ridiculous. There is no humility in his persona. And he is beaming with pride whenever he stands up to share his manifestations."

                                     ****************

May Girian Ba At Sindakab Sa Impeachment Trial?

Si former Malacañang Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, pinagpahinga na si Atty. Lorna Kapunan?Eh bakit hindi siya ang magpahinga? 

Can you imagine a-attend siya ng impeachment trial ... doon pa natulog? Ang pagtulog early morning ay nagpapatunay na SENIOR na nga siya (he is 79 years old)? Wala sigurong malamig na aircon sa bahay niya?

                                    *************

Going back to the impeachment trial, meron bang "sindakan" na nangyayari between Lorna Kapunan ang Khristine Ferrer? Kahit i-deny pa ito ng mga "kumpanero" natin ... hindi talaga maiwasan. 

Kahit saan siguro merong "seniority complex" na matatawag... that's the number of years of experience one has as a lawyer, for instance. 

                                    *************

Workers who have stayed the longest have the highest seniority. It often gives them extra perks, better job protection, or first choice for time off. People also use the word to describe a higher job rank or skill level. 

In Lorna and Khristine's case, hindi naman halata na may sindakan. Pero having been on opposite aisles for the first time, ang challenge at initiation diyan ay patunayan ang sarili mo: "Let's see what you got."

                                    *************

In litigation, if you are a young lawyer entering a courtroom, it is expected na ang attitude ng mga experienced lawyers ay sisindakin ang bagong salta at bigyan ng baptism of fire.

In Lorna and Khristine's case, medyo mainit na kaagad ang pasok, and that's all because naindian ang prosecution sa supposedly meeting nila with the defense, scheduled by the Senate last week.

                                    *************

The way people look at it, Atty Khistine Ferrer is reacting very badly sa mga sundot ni Atty Lorna. She became one bundle of nerves.

Dahil bata pa nga ... wala man lang nagsabi sa kanya to play it cool. And the fact na nasa national TV sila ... and people are watching.... "Ang pikon ay siyang affected ... at siya ang talo."

                                    *************

Sa litigation kasi kasama na ang mga mind games ... lalo na kung nakikita mong nagtatawanan ang lahat sa mga little blunders and gaffes ... para ka nang sinukluban ng langit.

Kung yan ang pumapasok sa isip ni Khristine, dehado na siya at hindi na siya makapag-perform. Anumang pagpakondisyon na ginawa niya sa sarili before coming ... biglang nawala lahat.

                                    *************

Katulad ng mga contact sports katulad ng basketball… ang courtroom ay may konting balyahan at sikohan din… tapos ang bleachers ay nagkakantyawan at nagha-high-five. Woman of steel lang ang hindi maapektuhan.

Eh kung balat-sibuyas siya (or ninerbiyos or may stage fright lang) ... aba, mas lalo na.

                                    *************

Nag-umpisa ang girian sa cross-examination. Pinipilit kasi ni Khristine ang witness na sagutin ng yes or no lang ang kanyang tanong. Sumagot naman ang witness,pero hanggang mid-sentence lang dahil hinaharang ni Khristine ang kanyang sagot. 

That is really crazy. Nagtatanong ang counsel, pero ayaw niya ng kompletong sagot? Gusto niya ang katotohanan ... pero ayaw niyang malaman?

                                    *************

Nag-o-object naman si Lorna at sinabing ang mga tanong ni Khristine are not answerable with a yes or no. And she asked the defense to let her finish her sentence.

Ang point naman ni Khristine ay cross ko ito ... huwag mo akong pakialaman. Doon na lumabas ang kontrobersyal na "misleading questions are allowed on cross".

                                    *************

Out of desperation, Khristine called out professionalism and mutual respect in the courtroom."We would like to ask this court not to allow side comments like "I was about to spank her..." or "I was about to lecture her." 

We are lawyers here, and we are all professionals.  Igalang po natin ang isa't isa. Sagot ni Lorna: "I promise to behave."

                                    *************

At this point, dito na nag-intervene ang presiding officer and for the first time, the people have witnessed Chiz Escudero's demotion as dakilang interpreter na lang.

Paano kasi ang mga vague questions ni Khristine, ni-rephrase at ni-reformat pa niya ang mga question para maintindihan ng witness at ng mga nanonood.

                                    *************

I just feel too small for Khristine. Imagine ang trabaho niya, presiding officer pa ang nagpapaliwanag para maintindihan at ma-process ang kanyang mga tanong?

It is a big slap in her face, pagkatapos niyang makipag-away kay Lorna na ayaw ng defense mag-stipulate, pagkatapos nilang mang-indian, pagkatapos ng debate nila na "misleading questions are not allowed sa cross? 

                                    *************

Sa aking pang-unawa ... failure of the defense to go down the level of the witness para magkaintindihan sila is a communication breakdown. Tama nga si Lorna when she was objecting na VAGUE nga ang mga tanong.

Di ba pag may communication breakdown ... para na rin sinabing the breakdown was intended as you were misleading the witness?

                                    *************

Overall, it was hard to swallow how Khristine's cross- examination went. Some critics smell arrogance and condescension. Mataray ang dating.

When the trial lawyer thinks the mataray facade can proxy for intellectual dominance,  no amount of grandstanding can hide or disguise the absence of substance.

                                    *************

Kung merong sindakan between the counsel of prosecution and defense ... meron din bang sindakan between the defense and the witness? Nakikita kasi si Kristine, who has the habit of tapping her pen in front of the witness.

In psychology, the incessant pen-tapping can mean she intends to rattle or i-distract ang witness.  Puwede rin namang sabihin na kinakabahan lang siya. Displacement baga.

                                    *************

Ano naman yong displacement as a defense mechanism? Being in a sensationalized impeachment hearing, and millions are watching maaring kinakabahan siya. Displacement is used when a person channels her fears or hiya by pen-tapping to release stress.

This is in a similar fashion to boxers who channel their unexpressed anger by hitting the punching bag.

                                    *************

May mga nagtatanong kung wala bang pera ang mga Duterte? Hindi ba nila afford ang kumuha ng mga batikang abogado?

May mga nagbibiro nga na ang Dream Team ni Inday Sara parang nag-OJT (on-the-job training) lang.

                                    *************

Less Talk ... Less Mistake 101

Hindi natin masisisi si Mariel kung papanigan niya si Robin sa pagba-bash ng mga tao. Asawa siya ... what do you expect?

"Sa mga nagsasabing hindi siya qualified ... I beg to disagree. He is more than qualified."

************

We don't fault her for that. But Mariel's defense of Robin, especially when she said, "nakapasa na ang asawa ng batas even when he was still in Bilibid," is creating more bad than good.

Sa mga nakaintindi ... paano nangyari ’yon? Di ba dapat senador muna ... before he can legislate?

************

What Mariel did was put the cart before the horse. Before blowing her horn, she should ask herself if she has put things in the wrong, backwards, or illogical order.

Just as a horse must pull a cart from the front rather than push it from behind, her actions and statements must follow a natural and proper sequence to work correctly.

************

Now the situation is getting worse. Her impulsive reaction to bark without thinking of the repercussions of her statement has created a tidal wave of negative reactions.

Her sudden, harsh, and unplanned outburst—speaking aggressively without thinking—caused a massive wave of public anger and backlash because she failed to consider how people would react.

************

Some netizens think ... Mariel and Robin are two peas in a pod.
They think and act alike. Robin's inability to contain himself and refrain from rushing to the podium, share his opinions, and make a fool of himself in the process is almost similar to Mariel's ignoring or failing to predict the negative results or fallout of her words.

They are perfect for each other. Same brain waves and frequencies.

************

Now it is Robin's turn to be Mariel's knight in shining armor. Bumuwelta siya sa mga bumabatikos sa kanyang asawa.

"Daig pa ninyo ang mga p_ta kung magpagamit sa mga ambisyoso."

************

Sino ang dapat sisihin? If we have to quote her verbatim: "Nakapag-pasa na ng batas ..." It's not the lack of common sense sa mga nag-react ang sitwasyon ... it is just people holding her accountable to her own words.

A simple "Nagkamali lang ako" would go a long, long way ... but trying to gaslight the readers at mumurahin pa ng number one senator is another thing.

************

Those words coming from a senator? A senator na gustong respetuhin ... pero hindi naman marunong magrespeto. A senator na matampuhin at sensitive at ayaw mataasan ng boses ... pero lumalabas na ang usok sa ilong kung magbitaw ng p_ta?

Ilang leksyon na ba ito kung paano bumabalik at nag-back-to-you (boomerang) ang mga salita ninyo? At ilang leksyon na ba ito sa "Less talk ... less mistake 101?" I really lost count.

************

Here's another case of boomerang effect. "Daig pa ninyo ang mga p_ta kung magpagamit sa mga ambisyoso."

One netizen has choice words for you. "Sino a ang amoy- Duterte kung susunugin? Aber?" Di ba kusang bumabalik?

************

Sa last SONA ng presidente, he was talking about SYSTEM LOSS sa ating mga electric bills. Now, netizens think Robin Padilla is also a system loss.

Binayaran natin (ibinoto natin), pero hindi mapakinabangan.

************

Political Shorts

 

The Vice President Sara Duterte said: "The nation is in chaos." Salita nang salita na naman si Madam. Nasa criticize mode and mood.

Sagot tuloy ni Claire Castro: "Sino nga ba ang gumagawa ng gulo para magka-chaos? Oo nga naman ... di ba naman ang pagiging chaotic ang gusto nilang mangyari?

                                                **************

Mga patutsada ni Sara Duterte ... "Si Claire Castro ay spokesperson ni BBM. At dahil spokesperson ka ... dapat maging professional ka sa mga sinasabi mo."

Dr. Antonio Contreras (professor and political scientist) said: "Natawa ako dito. Itong babaeng ito na mahilig magmura, nanapak ng sheriff, at nagbanta sa buhay ng Presidente, First Lady, at dating Speaker, malakas ang loob na magsalita tungkol sa pagiging professional?"

                                                **************

Mabuti pa si Dr. Antonio Contreras NATAWA lang. Yon ang professional. Kahit nagngingitngit na ... he is playing it cool.

Ang mga readers naman ay hindi NATUWA. Naha-high blood at nawiwindang sila.

                                                **************

Hindi ba ninyo napansin na may similarity si Inday Sara at si Senador Binoe. Bago sila magsalita, dapat manalamin muna. 

Inday repeatedly criticizes BBM about corruption and a seeming lack of transparency ... when she was impeached for plunder and the same. 

Si Binoe naman inuusisa ang mga credentials ng mga witnesses ... the very credentials na wala rin sa kanya,  tapos yon ang hinahanap niya for being the number one senator.

                                                **************

Mali na naman ang pasok ni Idol Robin. Mahilig kasi sa mga credentials at details. Tanong niya kay Wamil: Kayo ba ang in charge sa imbestigasyon?

Wamil: Hindi po investigation, Your Honor. Evaluation po yong ginagawa namin.

                                                **************

Sa impeachment trial, ayaw ng depensa na mag-stipulate. What are they thinking? The trial is no longer about paperwork. It is about public trust.

Ano ba ang ayaw nila sa mga dokumento ng prosecution? Ayan, nasabihan tuloy sila ni Atty. Lorna Kapunan ng: O sige, ang mga documents ninyo na lang ang gagamitin. Wala naman kaming problema diyan.

                                                **************

Zubiri: "Obviously, Mr. Witness, pag sinabing confidential in nature, huwag na kayong magtanong, basta ginamit naman ’yong pera. Sa tingin mo ba, tama ba ’yon o hindi."

Wamil: "Hindi po, Your Honor, kasi ang confidential funds ay public funds pa rin naman po, so it must follow strict accounting and auditing rules para maiwasan ang misuse."

                                                **************

Ubos na ang pasensya ng mga Pinoy sa mga senador na mahilig mag-grandstanding. Kaya nararamdaman ng mga tao ang pagkasuklam ni Wamil nang barahin niya ang scripted na drama ni Imee Marcos. 

Kitang-kita ang gustong mag-aakto na parang biktima si Imee habang pinipilit na ilihis ang pananagutan. 

                                                **************

(Desperate Question) Imee: May sinabi ba sa audit report na ninakaw o ginamit sa pansarili ang confidential funds ng OVP?

(Rock-solid answer) Wamil: Hindi kailangang isulat ang "ninakaw".  Sa joint circular ... kapag hindi maipaliwanag ang paggastos ... automatic ang legal presumption na ginamit ito sa "pansariling pakinabang."

                                                **************

To the readers watching, Imee's interpolation was not an inquiry: She did not want the truth. She wanted an echo. She bullied the witness to match her fake version of events. 

There was zero neutrality. She traded her gavel for a megaphone to bark her narrative. She was not a senator-judge; she was the VP's attack dog.

                                                **************

Pansinin natin: di ba dapat pag ang senator-judge asks a question, the questions are supposed to clarify, to know and understand?

What we saw was Imee became Sara. Hindi siya nagtatanong ... she was twisting the witness's arms, and she insisted on the kind of narrative she wanted ... her own edition and version.

                                                **************

Imee wasn’t asking a question; she was interrogating a witness with her mind already made up. 

She was aggressively shoving her own script down everyone's throats like a rabid attack dog instead of doing her basic job as a senator-judge.

                                                **************

And then there was Chiz telling Wamil not to argue with a senator-judge. It was absurd and made no sense. Why shouldn’t he push back when she’s forcing a flawed narrative? 

"Chiz instructing Wamil not to engage with a senator-judge is unreasonable. A witness has every right to correct a misrepresentation of his testimony. What was he expected to do—acquiesce while his statements were deliberately distorted?" Was he just supposed to nod politely while she twisted his words?

                                                **************

Political Shorts

 

The Vice President Sara Duterte said: "The nation is in chaos." Salita nang salita na naman si Madam. Nasa criticize mode and mood.

Sagot tuloy ni Claire Castro: "Sino nga ba ang gumagawa ng gulo para magka-chaos? Oo nga naman ... di ba naman ang pagiging chaotic ang gusto nilang mangyari?

                                                **************

Mga patutsada ni Sara Duterte ... "Si Claire Castro ay spokesperson ni BBM. At dahil spokesperson ka ... dapat maging professional ka sa mga sinasabi mo."

Dr. Antonio Contreras (professor at political scientist) said: "Natawa ako dito. Itong babaeng ito na mahilig magmura, nanapak ng sheriff, at nagbanta sa buhay ng Presidente, First Lady, at dating Speaker, malakas ang loob na magsalita tungkol sa pagiging professional?"

                                                **************

Mabuti pa si Dr. Antonio Contreras NATAWA lang. Yon ang professional. Kahit nagngingitngit na ... he is playing it cool.

Ang mga readers naman ay hindi NATUWA. Naha-high blood at nawiwindang sila.

                                                **************

Hindi ba ninyo napansin na may similarity si Inday Sara at si Senador Binoe. Bago sila magsalita, dapat manalamin muna. 

Inday repeatedly criticizes BBM about corruption and a seeming lack of transparency ... when she was impeached for plunder and the same. 

Si Binoe naman inuusisa ang mga credentials ng mga witnesses ... the very credentials na wala rin sa kanya,  tapos yon ang hinahanap niya for being the number one senator.

                                                **************

Mali na naman ang pasok ni Idol Robin. Mahilig kasi sa mga credentials at details. Tanong niya kay Wamil: Kayo ba ang in charge sa imbestigasyon?

Wamil: Hindi po investigation, Your Honor. Evaluation po yong ginagawa namin.

                                                **************

Sa impeachment trial, ayaw ng depensa na mag-stipulate. What are they thinking? The trial is no longer about paperwork. It is about public trust.

Ano ba ang ayaw nila sa mga dokumento ng prosecution? Ayan, nasabihan tuloy sila ni Atty. Lorna Kapunan ng: O sige, ang mga documents ninyo na lang ang gagamitin. Wala naman kaming problema diyan.

                                                **************

Zubiri: "Obviously, Mr. Witness, pag sinabing confidential in nature, huwag na kayong magtanong, basta ginamit naman ’yong pera. Sa tingin mo ba, tama ba ’yon o hindi."

Wamil: "Hindi po, Your Honor, kasi ang confidential funds ay public funds pa rin naman po, so it must follow strict accounting and auditing rules para maiwasan ang misuse."

                                                **************

Ubos na ang pasensya ng mga Pinoy sa mga senador na mahilig mag-grandstanding. Kaya nararamdaman ng mga tao ang pagkasuklam ni Wamil nang barahin niya ang scripted na drama ni Imee Marcos. 

Kitang-kita ang gustong mag-aakto na parang biktima si Imee habang pinipilit na ilihis ang pananagutan. 

                                                **************

(Desperate Question) Imee: May sinabi ba sa audit report na ninakaw o ginamit sa pansarili ang confidential funds ng OVP?

(Rock-solid answer) Wamil: Hindi kailangang isulat ang "ninakaw".  Sa joint circular ... kapag hindi maipaliwanag ang paggastos ... automatic ang legal presumption na ginamit ito sa "pansariling pakinabang."

                                                **************

To the readers watching, Imee's interpolation was not an inquiry: She did not want the truth. She wanted an echo. She bullied the witness to match her fake version of events. 

There was zero neutrality. She traded her gavel for a megaphone to bark her narrative. She was not a senator-judge; she was the VP's attack dog.

                                                **************

Pansinin natin: di ba dapat pag ang senator-judge asks a question, the questions are supposed to clarify, to know and understand?

What we saw was Imee became Sara. Hindi siya nagtatanong ... she was twisting the witness's arms, and she insisted on the kind of narrative she wanted ... her own edition and version.

                                                **************

Imee wasn’t asking a question; she was interrogating a witness with her mind already made up. 

She was aggressively shoving her own script down everyone's throats like a rabid attack dog instead of doing her basic job as a senator-judge.

                                                **************

And then there was Chiz telling Wamil not to argue with a senator-judge. It was absurd and made no sense. Why shouldn’t he push back when she’s forcing a flawed narrative? 

"Chiz instructing Wamil not to engage with a senator-judge is unreasonable. A witness has every right to correct a misrepresentation of his testimony. What was he expected to do—acquiesce while his statements were deliberately distorted?" Was he just supposed to nod politely while she twisted his words?

                                                **************

Samotsari - Confidential Funds

Atty. Roderick Wamil, a COA auditor, has some revealing information on the 11th and 12th day of the impeachment trial.

It was so graphic it leaves little to the imagination. Kung hindi ka talaga sanay sa eskandalo ... mahihiya ka lalo na at milyon o bilyon ang perang nawawala.

                                           **************

Unang tanong pa lang ni Atty. Lorna Kapunan sa auditor kung ano ang kanyang observation sa pag-audit ng confidential funds ng 3 magkasunod na vice presidents ... mga pasabog na agad ang  pinakawalan ng auditor.

Si Vice President Jejomar Binay at si VP Leni Robredo ay walang mga confidential funds.  Tanging si Sara Duterte lang ang mayroon.

                                           **************

Sinundan ito ng pangalawang tanong. Sa Department of Education, ano naman ang mga obserbasyon mo sa 3 Department of Education secretaries na pinagsilbihan mo?

Wala po akong ina-audit kay Sec.Armin Luistro at Leonor Briones. Sara Duterte is the first Vice President na may confidential funds sa Dep Ed.

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Pagpasok pa lang niya sa fourth quarter ng 2022, naghingi na raw si Sara ng 125 milyon sa confidential funds.

Hindi pa tapos ang taon, said na ang pondo. Christmas noon, kaya allegedly on a shopping spree daw ang VP at kanyang dabarkads. Tsika lang.

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Sabi nga ng isang reader: "Nagpasalamat talaga ako at nagkaroon ng tensiyon ang Green at ang Pula."

Aba, kung wala silang alitan ... hindi kayang mapahindian ni BBM ang mga spoiled na confidential funds demands ng Prinsesa ng Dabaw. Di ba balita noon ang ma-pritsong lambing ni Sara na gagamitin niya ang presidential helicopter to allow her to get "home in time to tuck her children to bed"?

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Sabi ni Atty. Roderick Wamil, ang paggamit daw ng confidential funds ni VP ay ilegal at improper.

Sa tindi ng statement na ’yan… hindi na oobra ang mga bulok na katwiran at dahilan ni Cayetano: "Just because it is unusual… it is illegal" (his line of reasoning sa mga bank exec ng Land Bank of last week's trial.)

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Senator Imee Marcos and COA official Roderick Wamil didn't have a hearing—they starred in a telenovela where the script was written in invisible ink. 

Marcos played the frantic defense attorney trying to save the day, while Wamil played the human speed bump who kept answering her dramatic soap-opera gasps with dry, lethal receipts.

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The shutdown breakdown is obvious. The Plot: Senator Imee is trying her absolute hardest to spin secret funds into a misunderstood act of charity.

The Climax: Wamil in return, is treating the senator’s leading questions like annoying pop-up ads on YouTube.

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The punchlines also are begging for attention. When Imee enters the scene, her script niya ay nag-tumbling. It wasn’t an investigation into missing millions; it was a desperate audition for Vice President Sara Duterte’s 2028 campaign.

It is just too bad, every time Marcos tried to hand Wamil a clean narrative on a silver platter, he handed it right back with a prima facie smackdown.

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Si Imee Marcos naman, gustong ilaglag si Fajarda at Acosta, maisalba lang ang prinsesa ng Davao. Kapag naiipit na ... laglagan na ba? Mabuti na lang hindi kinagat ni Wamil.  

Palusot ni Imee: "Ikaw kasi, palagi mo akong inaaway." Guniguni mo lang yon, Madam. Walang umaaway sa iyo.

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Imee: Ang liwa-liwanag na hindi si VP ang payee.  The special disbursing officer is the one designated by the head of the agency to have custody. In the case of OVP, si Gina Acosta yon. In the case of DepEd di ba si Edward Fajarda yon?

Wamil: That is not entirely correct, Your Honor. Because in the joint circular, it is the responsibility of the head of the agency to approve and oversee yung cash advance.

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Imee: Ang liwanag naman na hindi si Sara Duterte ang payee. Hindi naman sinabi na sa kanya ang pera. Di ba nasa SDO?

The Vice President has the primary responsibility. Nasa Sec 102 of PD 1445 ang kasagtan. (It says: It establishes primary and secondary responsibility. It states that the head of a government agency is immediately and primarily responsible for all agency funds and property, while custodians or caretakers are immediately responsible to the agency head)

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Senator-Judge Imee Marcos argued that Special Disbursing Officers Gina Acosta and Edward Fajarda are the primary accountable officers under audit rules. 

Wamil and subsequent COA clarifications disagreed, stating that the head of the agency is also accountable for approving the cash advances, ensuring agency-wide utilization, making accountability shared rather than restricted solely to the SDOs.  VP Sara, as agency head, shares liability.

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Pinagtanggol ni Alan Peter "Neutral" Cayetano na hindi pa raw pinal ang prima facie evidence ng COA, pero sa ginawa niyang iyon, parang inamin din nilang may bigat na ng paglabag sa batas.

Listening to him, it sounds like a contradictory defense. Dismissing preliminary findings as "not final" implicitly acknowledges that an actionable legal presumption of wrongdoing already exists.

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Pagkatapos, idiniin naman ni Imee na ang mga tauhan ang may sala at hindi si Sara—isang tahasang pag-amin na talagang may maling paggamit ng pondo. 

Sa halip na ipagtanggol, mas lalo lang nilang ibinaon sa hukay ang kaso ni Sara sa pamamagitan ng sarili nilang mga palusot.

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What Imee did was a "hao shao" lawyering for dear friend Sara Duterte. Sisihin ba naman si Acosta at Fajarda?

Blaming the staff instead of the principal, legally and logically, confirms that fund misuse actually occurred within the office.

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Ang ginawa nina Alan Peter at Imee is not well thought out… hindi pinag-isipan… basta lang makakuha ng airtime, thinking they will surely get pogi points. Yon ang akala nila.

The arguments they shared (are self-incriminating logic) meant to clear or help Sara Duterte ... instead, it ended up reinforcing the evidence of liability. 

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Samot Sari Pax Silica

Nag-damage control pa ang mga kampon ni Duterte sa The Hague when VP Sara had an ambush interview at tinanong siya kung ano ang kanyang opinyon sa Pax Silica.

Gusto pa nilang lusutan ang mga katangahan ni Inday, at sarcasm at joke lang daw iyon. Ang mga tao pa ang sinisisi nila na mabilis silang humusga at hindi nila naintindihan ang "I Can't  Comment On That" reply ni Inday.

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Takot talaga si Inday na mabansagang tanga or boba ng sambayanang Filipino lalo na at malapit ang 2028.

Hindi nga naman tama at isa itong insulto na nanligaw siya ng suporta sa mga botante for the highest office of the land ... tapos hindi niya alam ang isang malaking issue that is being debated by ordinary mortals (sa mga barberya at sa mga inuman) ... mula Aparri hanggang Jolo?

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Isa rin itong sampal sa kanya dahil wala siyang bukambibig kundi katayin si BBM ... kesyo hindi ito marunong magpalakad ng bansa ... kesyo bangag raw ... kesyo at marami pang kesyo. 

At sino naman kaya ang magaling at hindi bangag aber? You know who she is referring to. Thanks ... but no thanks!

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We have seen Inday and her reactions before with some viral moments of unfamiliarity and blank stares galore that were already considered classic in the memory banks of non-Sara voters.

Her obvious confusion over confidential fund receipt names or her vague responses regarding national security and political alliances top the list.

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Vice President Sara Duterte appeared visibly baffled and at a loss for words when asked about the Pax Silica initiative, initially mishearing the term as "Fox Silic". 

One reader volunteered to describe her obvious initial confusion. She said Sara mispronounced the word ... (translation: ngayon lang niya ito narinig), tapos mag-gas-lighting sa mga tao na nagjo-joke lang or sarcastic?

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Another reader saw panic in her blank stares (translation: yari na naman ako sa tanong na ito).

I saw her mumbling ... and when she blinked, she muttered: "Ano? Fox Sili ... Fox Silic ... showing she did not recognize the term.

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She struggled to process the words, sounding completely caught off guard by the U.S.-backed technology and semiconductor initiative. 

Sa isip niya siguro ... "Ang hirap mag-ambition maging presidente... kailangan alam mo ang lahat."

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Mabuti na lang marunong siya ng deflection at palusot. Her final pivot? After being corrected by those around her on the actual name, she offered "Wala" (nothing)

Her final shield: She ultimately used a safe exit line, stating, "I cannot comment on that," avoiding any substantive discussion. Kung bakit ayaw niyang mag-comment? Ma at pa (Malay natin ... at pakialam natin?)

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Tapos sa The Hague today, she revived online discussion over her earlier refusal to comment on the proposed artificial intelligence (AI) industrial hub in Tarlac.

Aba, kahapon lang lutang, tapos ngayon matapang?  Nakapag-Google na siguro, as advised by her bosom friend Senator Robin Padilla.

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While thanking organizers of the July 29 gathering in support of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Vice President singled out an organizer named Alvin and joked about him losing sleep over "Pax Silica."

She then added: "Alvin, if they cannot respect a 'no comment,' you should not lose sleep over it. That is their problem. That is not your problem."

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Moral of the story? Tama na kasi ang pagkukunyari ... kung hindi alam ... e di hindi alam. Alangan namang pilitin nating sumagot ang taong walang alam?

Hindi bobo ang mga tao. Even without taking Psychology 101, they know when somebody is gaslighting ... and they know when they are being manipulated into believing nagjo-joke lang si VP at nasa sarcasm mode at mood.

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