Lying and Bearing False Witness: A Modern Political Daily Routine

In the fast-moving arena of Philippine political theater, Ninth Commandment compliance has effectively been outsourced, monetized, and streamlined into standard operating procedure.

THE MODERN SLANDER WORKFLOW

STEP 1: THE SCRIPTING

STEP 2: THE DISTRIBUTION ]
• Draft affidavit with "sweet promises."
• Deliver via live TV press briefings,
• Offer cash & college scholarships.
• Deepfake/Polvoron viral videos,
• Assign target (e.g., House Speaker, Bishops).
• Unverified suitcases of cash.

STEP 3: THE RETRACTION
• Recant under sworn affidavit.
• Claim "Ginamit lang ako." • Public moves on to the next drama.

Giving false testimony against your neighbor used to carry moral weight or at least require a modest amount of guilt. Today, it has achieved the administrative routine of brushing your teeth after breakfast or taking a morning shower.

The recantation of former Marine Orly Guteza—who admitted under sworn affidavit that his claims about suitcases of cash delivered to high-ranking officials were fabricated in exchange for "sweet promises" of money and educational scholarships—highlights a booming cottage industry: Contractual Whistleblowing.

THE PERJURY COMPENSATION PACKAGE
• Retainer: Down payment on "sweet promises."
• Bonus: College scholarships for the children.
• Execution: Read pre-written script on national TV.
• Risk: Zero moral fallout; high meme value.

When bearing false witness comes bundled with tuition coverage, the moral fiber doesn't just go to the dogs—it gets listed on the stock exchange.

The willingness to let an innocent rival languish in jail or face public humiliation is no longer seen as a character flaw; it’s simply treated as a necessary trade-off for personal gain.

Fabricated affidavits are merely one flavor on the menu. Philippine political history is rich with creative slanders designed to manipulate public perception:

THE CLASSIC SLANDER ANTHOLOGY
A.
-THE INCIDENT -The "Polvoron" Deepfake/AI Video
(Targeting top executive leadership)
-THE INTENDED EFFECT - Slander the character of political rivals.
B.
-THE INCIDENT - Suitcases of Cash to Bishops & Officials (Fabricated Senate witness testimonies)
-THE INTENDED EFFECT - Destroy the credibility of religious and civil foes.
C.
-THE INCIDENT - Fake Intelligence Matrixes
(Plucking names out of thin air)
- THE INTENDED EFFECT - Justify state-led legal harassment

Whether it is a fake video circulated on social media or a manufac-
tured story about bags of cash distributed to church leaders, the
goal is never truth—it is the immediate, viral destruction of the target's reputation that can never be up after a retraction.

Will This Ever Stop? The short answer is: Not as long as perjury remains a high-reward, low-consequence venture.

When high-ranking operatives use witnesses like disposable props, treat sworn affidavits like audition scripts, and weaponize slander to control the news cycle, the tragedy isn't just that politicians lie.

The tragedy is that society has grown so accustomed to the theater that total retraction is met with a shrug, a chuckle, and a turn to the next viral video.

There is also the tragedy that people has ignored the ninth commandment ... their morality has gone abyss-deep, and they are willing to be an evil man's whistlelblower in exchange of a hefty sum of money and the college scholarships of their c

The Heavenly Hotline: When Senator Robin Padilla Prayed for Wisdom He’d Already Rejected

 

In what can only be described as a masterpiece of primetime political theater, Senator-Judge Robin Padilla opened a session of the Vice President's impeachment trial by leading the official prayer.

Kneeling figuratively at the altar of divine intervention, the senator solemnly asked Almighty God for "wisdom in this hour" and petitioned the heavens for the strength to uphold "the heavy burden of rendering justice."

It was a deeply moving spiritual moment—marred only by the minor technicality that Senator Padilla had already publicly declared his judgment long before the trial even started.

THE SENATORIAL PRAYER VS. REALITY MATRIX

[ THE PRAYER REQUEST ] Lord, grant us wisdom to deliver impartial justice today."

[ THE PRE-EXISTING VERDICT ] "Kahit sunugin mo ako dito, mangangamoy Duterte pa rin ako."

For observers watching from home, watching Senator Padilla ask God for wisdom was like watching a driver ask GPS for directions after intentionally cutting the steering wheel cable and locking the destination to a single location.

[ HEAVENLY TELECOM NETWORK ]

CALL STATUS: FAILED

DIALED FROM: Senate Impeachment Session Hall

REASON FOR ERROR: "The God you are trying to reach is currently out of coverage area due to extreme bias. Please try again after recusing yourself."

The theological paradox at play here is staggering:

The Request: Asking the Divine Spirit to guide his heart toward objective truth and justice.

The Reality: Having already boasted on record, "Even if you burn me here, I will smell like Rodrigo Roa Duterte".

The Result: A prayer that essentially translates to, "Lord, please give me the wisdom to acquit, regardless of whatever evidence the prosecution presents."

If prayer is meant to be a moment of humble submission and openness to higher guidance, treating the Senate podium like a movie set where one recites lines about "justice" while wearing armor made of pure political loyalty pushes the boundaries of performance art.

[ OPTIONS FOR SENATORIAL ETIQUETTE ]

OPTION A: Pray for open-mindedness ──► Examine the evidence ──► Render verdict.

OPTION B: Declare unyielding loyalty ──► Lead the prayer anyway ──► Ignore evidence.

In any standard judicial proceeding, a judge who publicly proclaims absolute bias toward the accused is expected to execute the most sensible legal maneuver available: inhibition and recusal.

In the Philippine Senate Impeachment Court, however, it qualifies you to lead the opening spiritual invocation.

When a courtroom's solemn tradition of prayer becomes a theatrical prologue to a predetermined outcome, the public isn't left feeling inspired—they're left looking for the remote control.

Until "seeking wisdom" involves actually listening to testimony instead of guarding an ideological trench, the nation's spiritual line to the Senate floor will likely remain on hold.

The Gospel Of Today

 The latest quarterly reports from the Vineyard of the Lord have just dropped, and the executive summary is a total administrative paradox. 

According to the supreme celestial data, the harvest is officially plentiful. 

Human beings in 2026—despite being entirely overwhelmed by algorithmic TikTok feeds, rising inflation, the endless drama of the Senate quorum, and the existential dread of finding a parking slot at the mall—are still actively searching for a fuller meaning to life.

The consumer demand for salvation, justice, and eternal truth is at an all-time high. The market is ripe. The seeds are bursting through the soil.

The problem? The Human Resources department is experiencing an absolute ghost town.

As the Gospel perfectly puts it: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

If the Church were to post this divine recruitment call on LinkedIn today, the corporate disconnect would be immediately hilarious.

[ JOB OPENING: LABORER OF THE KINGDOM ] 

 * The Market: Millions of confused souls yearning for infinite truth and freedom. 

* The Compensation: Eternal life, unparalleled peace of mind, and a crown that doesn't depend on foreign ancestry or being a "halfie". 

* The Catch: You must walk into the messy field of the world, deal with high-speed human chaos, and look at people through the eyes of Jesus. 

* Current Status: 0 Applicants. (Everyone clicked "Save for Later" and went back to Instagram).

We live in a world where everyone wants to be an "influencer," a "consultant," or a "strategist." 

If you ask a modern professional to design a 5-year corporate pastoral plan with color-coded PowerPoint slides, they will do it in an hour. 

But if you ask them to pick up a sickle, get their shoes dirty in the mud of human brokenness, and actually harvest the good grain? Suddenly, everyone's schedule is completely full.

The Gospel delivers a direct, beautifully cynical blow to our obsession with bureaucracy. It explicitly states that we do not need too many theoretical ideas about pastoral plans.

This is bad news for the corporate-minded Catholics who love holding endless committee meetings to discuss how to save the world.

[ THE COMMITTEE MEETING LOG ]

* Item A: Discussing the structural font size of the church newsletter. (3 hours) 

* Item B: Debating the aesthetics of the altar flowers. (2 hours) 

* Item C: Actually going out to visit the sick and comfort the lonely. (Deferred to next quarter due to lack of quorum).

We have turned the Kingdom into a management seminar. We think we can solve the labor shortage by creating a new spreadsheet or a trending hashtag. 

But the Executive Director of the Universe is reminding us that the field isn't harvested by paperwork; it’s harvested by people who actually show up for the shift.

The modern psyche thinks that if a project is failing, you need to hire a marketing agency. The Gospel, however, flips the corporate ladder upside down:

The Modern Corporate Solved	The Divine Mandate
"Let's launch a massive PR campaign, create a viral video, and hire an agency to boost our recruitment metrics."	"Priority must be given to your relationship with the Lord and cultivating your dialogue with him."
"Let's analyze the demographics of the field using advanced data analytics."	"Pray to the Lord of the harvest. Let Him do the vetting and the sending."

-The Structural Reality Check: You cannot distinguish the "good grain" from the weeds if you are looking at the world through the lens of political bias, cancel culture, or social climbing. To see the harvest properly, you have to use the "Eyes of Jesus"—an optical setting that requires a constant, uninterrupted connection to the source via prayer.

What can we actually learn from today's Gospel? It is a satirical reminder that humanity is starving for substance, but the people who are supposed to be feeding it are too busy managing the kitchen’s inventory.

We are so overwhelmed by "doing things for God" that we forget to spend thirty seconds "talking to God." 

The Gospel is telling us that if we want to change the world, we need to stop acting like high-level consultants who are too important to work in the field.

The next time you look at the news and feel anxious about the chaos of the world, do not draft a new philosophical theory on how to fix society. 

Just drop to your knees, check in with the Chief Executive Officer upstairs, and ask Him for your marching orders.

 Because the harvest is waiting, the sun is setting, and the field doesn't care about your pastoral plan—it just needs a worker who knows how to listen.

The Kingdom of God doesn't need more commentators in the bleachers; it needs laborers in the field. 

If you’re waiting for a sign to start being a better person, this is your official onboarding memo.

The Santacruzan Survival Guide

 Welcome to the grand finale of May in the Philippines, where every neighborhood turns its main road into a high-stakes, high-humidity runway. 

The Santacruzan is essentially a neighborhood beauty pageant with a biblical twist, combining heavy gowns, extreme humidity, and the ultimate pressure of walking a makeshift runway. It's an annual, sweaty display of faith, fashion, and extreme fan expectations.

While the official barangay Facebook livestream showing the Sagalas looks serene, elegant, and saintly, the actual physical reality on the asphalt is a chaotic battle for survival.

To understand the sheer mental fortitude required to survive the procession, let us look at the structural engineering behind every participant before they even step outside the house.

• The Gown: Rented from a local wedding coordinator, heavy enough to weigh down a small horse, and containing a train that acts as a street broom for the barangay’s concrete dust. You are wearing four layers of stiff organza in 32°C heat, quietly wondering if purgatory is just a long, un-airconditioned procession down an endless street.

• The Hair and Makeup: This process takes five grueling hours, involving enough hairspray to punch a fresh hole in the ozone layer. By the second block of the procession, the tropical humidity will have turned your "Miss Universe" blowout into a damp, deflated mess that sticks to your neck like seaweed.

• The Escort: Usually a nervous male cousin or a PMA (Philippine Military Academy) cadet in a starched uniform. He is holding a cardboard arc decorated with dusty plastic flowers, desperately trying to keep the arc from knocking off your tiara while avoiding eye contact with the crowd. He looks like a hostage negotiating his release.

• [ THE SAGALA COMFORT SPECTRUM ] 

• * Visible to Camera (Top 90%): Glittering tiara, heavy contour, royal smile, immaculate gown. 

• * Hidden by Skirt (Bottom 10%): Scuffed Havaianas flip-flops or neon rubber slippers.

• Every Santacruzan features a specific lineup of queens. Depending on your role, the neighborhood aunties on the sidewalk have very specific, highly critical expectations:

-The Title: Reyna Fe (Faith)

-The Official Symbolic Meaning: Represents the theological virtue of belief.

-The Sidewalk Reality: Always smiles so hard her cheeks cramp up, carrying a large wooden cross that feels like she's lugging an entire hardwood tree to Calvary.

-The Title: Reyna Justicia (Justice)

-The Official Symbolic Meaning: Symbolizes fairness and the rule of law.

-The Sidewalk Reality: Armed with a plastic sword and an unbalanced scale. She looks like she’s about to mediate a noisy barangay boundary dispute right after the procession.

-The Title: The Angels) Ave Maria

-The Official Symbolic Meaning: Little girls holding letters to spell out the angelic salutation.

-The Sidewalk Reality - The true troopers of the parade, battling intense sugar crashes from pre-parade juice boxes while fighting off mosquitoes in heavy dresses and tight, itchy wings.

-The Title: Reyna Elena - The Climax

-The Official Symbolic Meaning: The main event 0 the finder of the True Cross.

-The Sidewalk Reality- The most beautiful girl in the village, accompanied by a little boy playing Emperor Constantine in a velvet suit who is actively crying. The crowd goes wild—mostly because this means the procession is finally over and it’s time to eat pancit and lechon at the reception.

You cannot have a Santacruzan without the local tribunal of neighborhood aunties standing near the sari-sari store, fanning themselves with cardboard, and delivering ruthless, real-time fashion critiques that no camera microphone will ever capture.

"Maganda sana ang gown ni Elena, pero hindi ba parang tela yan ng curtains sa kusina nila?" (Elena's gown would be nice, but isn't that the fabric from their kitchen curtains?)

 [ THE "PALAKASAN" ELECTION MATRIX ] How to become Reyna Elena: 

 - Option A: Exceptional community service and poise (5% probability). 

 - Option B: Your mother is the major sponsor of the barangay captain’s upcoming re-election campaign (95% probability).

The "secret" of who gets to be Reyna Elena is as closely guarded, heavily debated, and deeply controversial as a national legislative election. 

Rumors will circulate until June about who paid for the generator of the sound system just to secure the final spot in the parade.

While the historical narrative celebrates Queen Helena finding the True Cross, the actual "true struggle" for the modern Sagala is finding an umbrella to survive the mid-afternoon sun before the parade officially starts.

The moment the procession ends and the cameras stop clicking, the illusion instantly shatters. 

The holy queens abandon their arcs, kick off their hidden slippers, grab a plastic cup of sago't gulaman, and sit under an industrial electric fan—completely unbothered by the majesty of their titles, just glad they survived the annual neighborhood walkathon.

Bishops and Priests Gave A Thumbs Down Review on Alan Peter C. Gospel

 

The top-performing production of the year, “The Holy Gavel of Alan Peter,” has just received a scathing, unanimous zero-star review from the entire Catholic Hierarchy throughout the entire archipelago.

On Sunday, May 17, 2026, bishops and priests across the Philippines did something truly revolutionary: they read the actual Bible, looked at the Senate President, and collectively called out the most elaborate Religious Theater in modern political history.

For years, Alan Peter Cayetano has enjoyed using the Senate floor as his personal evangelical stage, dropping Bible verses like tactical smoke grenades (canister-type pyrotechnic devices designed to produce a dense cloud of smoke) to cover up leadership coups.

But last Sunday, the real shepherds of the flock decided they had seen enough of the counterfeit (a person or something made in exact imitation of a genuine and the real thing.

Example ... a person masquerading as devout, God-fearing, and religious with the intent to deceive and trick people into believing a fake person.

-The Pastoral Review: The clergy did not mince words. They didn't write as partisans; they spoke as Christians who are deeply, profoundly tired of watching the Gospel being treated like a political prop.

-The Satire: It turns out, when you spend a week quoting Scripture to justify smuggling an international fugitive into a building inside your personal SUV ... the guy in the vestments at the altar notices.

The Church essentially told Alan: "Prayer is a lifestyle, Senator, not an audition for a 2028 election campaign."

Let’s look at the script of Alan’s 7-day masterpiece.

-The Dramatic Monologue: Last week, Cayetano stood before the cameras, clutching his pearls, and weeping that the Senate was “under attack!” He invoked the Almighty, prayed for protection, and pointed fingers at the Minority.

-The Plot Twist: Then the SOCO ballistics report came out. It revealed that the "attackers" were actually the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) firing warning shots upward into their own ceiling.

-The Holy Translation: You cannot claim the temple is being besieged by demons when it’s your own altar boys discharging 5.56mm ammunition into the roof.

To speak the language of faith while fabricating a security crisis is what the Church called "religious theater."

Jesus warned about those who honor God with their lips while their hearts—and their security details—are busy staging a firefight.

Then came the "now you see him ... now you don't," miracle of Senator Bato dela Rosa. Alan has a 3-Step Divine Playbook for that.

1. Fabricate a non-existent legal concept called Protective Custody.

2. Cite a Bible to explain why a fugitive shouldn't face justice.

3. Watch the fugitive mysteriously vanish into thin air anyway.

-The Vanishing Act: Alan Peter draped the Senate's "holy protection" over Bato to shield him from the ICC, only for Bato to pull a Houdini and slip out of the country via NAIA Terminal 3 with Robin Padilla.

-The Moral Crisis: The Church pointed out the obvious: invoking God while actively protecting an architect of mass murder from scrutiny isn't a "Christian witness"—it grieves the Holy Spirit. You can’t sing Amazing Grace while acting as the logistics manager for a getaway car.

The Bishops issued a new set of guidelines specifically tailored for the Cayetano Ministry:

Stop using Scripture as a shield for arrogance, deception, and the evasion of accountability.

Stop wrapping questionable conduct in religious language. (e.g., Calling a political coup a "divine transition.")

Remember that the word forthwith is in the dictionary, not just in the book of Revelations, and it means now, not when it's safe for Sara.

The Filipino people do not need a Senate President who behaves like a televangelist selling miracle water before the media. They need a leader whose conduct reflects the God he publicly proclaims.

If Alan Peter truly fears God, the instructions from the pulpit are clear: Humble yourself. Tell the truth. Submit to accountability. Honor the rule of law. And most importantly, stop treating the Holy Bible like it’s a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for the Davao Mafia.

History has a much longer memory than a Facebook Live broadcast. And as any priest will tell you, no amount of holy water can wash away the gunpowder residue left on the Senate ceiling.

The Doubting Thomases in the Current Political Climate

It’s ironic, isn’t it? In the Gospel, Thomas said: “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25).

In Philippine politics, we have the opposite scenario: we see the "wounds" (the floods, the empty coffers, the broken roads) every single day, yet we are asked to believe that the government has done a sterling job in governance.

Here is a satirical take on our modern-day "Douthing Thomases" navigating the stormy waters of 2026 politics.

1. The Miracle of the Invisible Flood Control
In the Philippines, we don't have Doubting Thomases; we have Drowning Thomases.

As the 2026 monsoon turns Manila into a world-class water park, the government points to the ₱500 billion state-of-the-art project.

The Drowning Thomas stands on his roof, waist-deep in murky water, looking at a DPWH sign that says "Flood Control Project: 98% Complete."

The Parallel: Just as Thomas needed to put his finger into the nail marks, the Filipino taxpayer wants to put his finger on an actual, functioning pumping station.

The Satire: The government’s response? "Blessed are those who have not seen the flood control gates, yet believe they are working." If you can’t see the project, it’s not because it’s a "ghost project"—it’s just underwater. It’s a matter of faith, Thomas!

2. The Impeachment: "I Will Not Believe Until I See the Receipts."

Then we have the Senate Doubting Thomases regarding the impeachment of VP Sara.

While the House of Representatives has presented alleged evidence regarding the misuse of confidential funds, including transported bags of cash, certain Senators are playing the role of the doubting Thams perfectly."

The Parallel: Thomas said, "Unless I see the print of the nails... I will not believe."

The Satire: A Senator looks at a mountain of COA disallowances and says, "Unless I personally count the ₱125 million in 11 days myself, I shall remain unconvinced."

In this version, even if be someone's"Truth" stands right in front of them, they’ll ask for a Notarized Affidavit from the Truth first—preferably one that doesn't affect their 2028 coalition prospects.

3. The "Stigma" of the Secret Wealth
Remember that "fake news" about you having money? In politics, it’s the reverse. We see politicians who officially own nothing but a "modest" hut and a 1990s sedan in their SALN, yet they live in mansions with gold-plated faucets.

The Parallel: Thomas doubted the divinity of a man who looked human. We doubt the "poverty" of men who look like billionaires.

The Satire: We are the Doubting Thomases when a politician says, "I am as poor as a church mouse." We want to see the wounds—specifically, the wounds in their bank accounts.

But instead of showing us the "holes," they show us "Non-Disclosure Agreements" and "Confidential Fund" loopholes.

In the Bible, Thomas’s doubt was cured by a Physical Encounter with the truth. In the Philippines, our doubt is permanent because the "Truth" is usually:

Under a non-disclosure agreement.

Hidden in a "confidential fund."

Or washed away by a ₱5-billion flood control project that turned out to be made of sand and recycled campaign posters.

Keep clapping for your blind idolatry that your idol can't be someone's gift from heaven!

It’s fitting, really—in a land of invisible infrastructure, holding onto a fake reality is the only thing that makes sense.

Satire Dream: I Was The Correspondent of A Local YV Station Covering Jesus Last Words

I was in Golgotha in my dream, circa 33 AD. Jesus hangs on the cross, looking less than thrilled. 

A crowd of Roman soldiers and assorted onlookers mill about, mostly bored.

Jesus: (Straining) Father... forgive them... for they know not what they do...

(I was there firsthand ... inexplicably present, and scratching my head and muttering)

Butch John Jason: Uy, wait lang Jesus. Hold up. "They know not what they do?" With all due respect, Lord, but I think you got the wrong crowd.

(Jesus looks down, confused.)

Jesus: What do you mean? They're crucifying me! Surely they don't understand the gravity of their actions!

Butch John Jason (Scoffs) Gravity? Lord, these guys? They're pros! They know exactly what they're doing.

(I pull out a smartphone and scroll through a news feed.)

BJJ: Look, this centurion here? He's got a side hustle selling indulgences. And that guy over there? He's spreading fake news about you being a communist. They even got Pilate on payroll!

Jesus: (Eyes widening) Fake news? Indulgences? Pilate's corrupt? But... but I thought they were just following orders!

BJJ: (Shaking his head) Lord, you're too good for this world. These guys are playing 4D chess with people's lives. They're gaslighting the masses, stealing from the poor, and rewriting history faster than you can say "Resurrection."

(At this point, I showed Jesus a meme.)

BJJ: See? They're even making memes about you! "Jesus: Fake News Victim." Can you believe it?

Jesus: (Sighs) So... they do know what they're doing?

BJJ: Lord, they're practically experts! They've got think tanks, PR firms, and a whole army of trolls dedicated to spreading misinformation. They're not ignorant; they're malicious!

Jesus: (Rubbing his temples) This is... more complicated than I anticipated.

(He pauses, then speaks with newfound resolve.)

Jesus: Okay, new plan. Father... forgive them... because they know exactly what they're doing, and they're doing it anyway. And maybe, just maybe, send a lightning bolt to their social media accounts. Amen.

(Hearing that, I was nodding approvingly.)

BJJ: Now that's the Jesus I know! Laban!

(The Roman soldiers, completely oblivious, continue hammering nails. They didn't even know I was starting a Facebook live stream.)

BJJ: Guys, you won't believe what's happening up here. If you won't believe it ... check it out yourself!

Owning A St. Longinus Paso - A Story of Mishaps and Missteps

So, I thought owning a paso or a lifesize statue intended for a Good Friday procession would be all solemn reverence and pious reflection.

Turns out, it's more like adopting a very large, very dramatic, and surprisingly high-maintenance toddler made of wood.

It all started with the "Selection of Subject and Iconography."

I envisioned a stoic Jesus, maybe a bit dusty, but radiating divine forgiveness.

Instead, I ended up with St Longinus, a centurion whose life and conversion we can relate to.

To the uninformed, St Longinus was the centurion who pierced the side of our Lord while hanging on the cross.

He was nearly blind and was healed when the blood and water from Jesus fell into his eyes.

It was he who claimed: "Indeed, this was the son of God." (Mark 15:39.

After the miracle, when he got his eyes restored to 20/20 vision ... he was converted, left the Roman army, and became a monk.

There, he was arrested and martyred because he refused to renounce his faith; his teeth were forced out, and his tongue was cut off.

But miracle of miracles, even though his tongue was cut off, he managed to speak clearly and managed to destroy some idols in the presence of the governor.

The governor, who was made blind by the demons that came from the idols, had his sight restored when St. Longinus was beheaded because his blood came in contact with the governor's eyes.

Back to our topic ... my only problem with our statue was that his mournful expression looked suspiciously like he'd just stubbed his feet with his spear instead of Jesus' side.

The person who sculpted the statue (though he sounded defensive) assured me it was not mournful.

He said it was more of "anguish," but I swear I saw St Longinus roll his eyes when he said that.

What more if I dare say point-blank that the statue's eyes are squinting -strabismus to some ... cross-eyed to others. Naawa na nga ako sa kanya at hindi ko na sinabi.

Then came the "Budget and Acquisition." Let's say my dreams of buying more exotic fruit trees in our orchard have been replaced by the stark reality of "Caro/Karosa Expenses ... and don't forget the statue expenses."

I knew the carriage was important, but I wasn't prepared for the sheer artistry (and cost) of it all.

My carpenters, who were doubling as the architect and electrician, Michael and Alfred, did have a blanket authority on everything ... I was worried about their utter and complete disregard for right angles, but they assured me their creation was "divinely inspired."

And the electricity! Oh, the electricity! I wanted subtle, ethereal lighting.

Michael, however, installed enough wattage to power a small city. 'The brighter the better.

Alfred and Franz agreed without hesitation.

He claimed it was "to illuminate the centurion's pain and ambivalence (he pierced Jesus remember ... but he regretted doing it) for all to see!"

I suspect it was to blind the competition.

Then we have to commission a camarera who will decorate and maintain the pasos (religious images) and carrozas (floats),

My daughter-in-law Shyla, volunteered for the job; I readily accepted it for sheer lack of budget. Tipid tips baga.

I know her. When she put her heart into it ... she delivers. Bravo Shy!

And you know Michael, he is a Jack of all Trades... he wants to dip his feet in the perplexing world of camarista. Can I stop him? I can't.

But in fairness to them, their tandem and collab showed promise. Purrfect.

"Vesting and Design" was another adventure.

Forget haute couture; this is holy couture. My St Longinus now sports a crested helmet, specialized armor, a decorated belt, and a red or crimson cloak that looked so heavy.

I'm convinced Enrike, my designer, had put that one on purpose - to get that much-needed oomph to distract the somber mood of the procession while everybody was reciting the rosary.

Don't even get me started. The cloak was so long, it doubled as a tripping hazard for Franz, David, and Bonjo - our costaleros (the teenage volunteers who pushed and pulled the carroza).

Which brings me to "Logistics and Manpower." Finding skilled sculptors was easy compared to finding costaleros willing to risk their spines for my slightly-off-kilter paso.

I ended up bribing all of them with promises of a free tuna sandwich, a bottle of coke and my absolution.

And now, the grand finale: "Maintenance and Tradition." Turns out, owning a paso isn't a one-day-a-year gig.

It's a year-round commitment to dusting, polishing, and praying that Michael and Alfred's "divinely inspired" carriage doesn't collapse mid-procession.

So, as Good Friday approaches, I stand before my St. Longinus, and a mix of pride and sheer terror swirls around my head.

Will the carriage hold? Will the lights short-circuit? Will the costaleros revolt? Will St Longinus' head fall off when passing deep potholes in the road? Only time will tell.

But one thing's for sure: this Holy Week, I'll be praying harder than ever before.

Not just for forgiveness, but for a good chiropractor to attend to my back pains and muscle aches.

And maybe, just maybe, I can concentrate on and buy more Hibiscus varieties to brighten and encourage the mangoes ... the mangosteen, the rambutan, the lanzones of the world to finally flower and bear abundant fruits next month.

They need to make a good income.

I know Michael will demand a change of costume, again, and he is already hinting at his extravagant plans.

He thinks St Longinus will need a more elaborate costume, something not seen in Ten Commandments or Jes

Reliving Pontius Pilate in 2026

If Pontius Pilate were alive today, he wouldn’t need a balcony in Jerusalem.

All he needs is a microphone, a trending hashtag, and maybe a live-stream with comments turned off—though that wouldn’t stop the netizens from shouting.

“Whom do you want me to release to you?” he would ask again, but this time the crowd wouldn’t be gathered in a dusty square.

They’d be online, armed with Wi-Fi, opinions, and a remarkable talent for selective hearing.

On one side stands the quiet, decent man (Jesus)—calm, principled, perhaps a little too honest for his own good.

He doesn’t promise miracles on demand, doesn’t flatter, doesn’t dance for applause.

His campaign slogan is something boring like “truth” or “integrity.”

Naturally, he polls terribly.

On the other side stands Barabbas 2.0: loud, charismatic, and wildly entertaining.

His résumé is… flexible. His past is… misunderstood.

His supporters insist he’s “changed,” though they can’t quite say when.

But he’s funny, he’s bold, and most importantly, he makes people feel good.

Pilate clears his throat. “You have a choice.”

The chief influencers—today’s version of chief priests and elders—intervened.

“Pick the exciting one,” they whisper. “The honest one is too dull. Too inconvenient. Too… correct.”

The crowd nods. Being right is exhausting. Being entertained is easy.

“Release Barabbas!” they cry, this time with emojis and reaction buttons.

Pilate hesitates, as he always does.

He knows how this story ends. But he also knows something else: the crowd doesn’t actually want justice.

They want validation. They want someone who reflects their desires, not challenges them.

So he symbolically washes his hands—though today it might just be a carefully worded statement—and gives them what they asked for.

And the quiet man? He walks the same lonely road as before, carrying not just a cross, but the weight of being unwanted in a world that claims to love goodness—as long as it’s not inconvenient.

Meanwhile, the crowd celebrates their choice. Their champion waves, smiles, and promises everything. For a moment, it feels like victory.

Until, slowly, quietly, reality begins to ask its own question:

“Was this really the one you wanted?”

But by then, of course, Pilate has already closed the livestream.

To be continued: The next post will compare the People's Choice (Anno Domini) and the new wave on how Pinoys elect their leaders.

Interesting Homily

The 10 Commandments Have Grown To 13

I attended the mass last Sunday. The priest delivered a very interesting homily, highlighting the current state of moral decay and disarray in the government. Obviously, he was making a snide remark on some clandestine flood control projects and the corruption that is eating the moral fiber of everyone.

Sabi niya ... there are only Ten Commandments ... and if Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations will make a survey of the commandments, sigurado siya na ang commandments na paulit-ulit na nilalabag ng mga tao at ng mga government officials ay Commandment No. 7 - THOU SHALT NOT STEAL ... at No. 8 - THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR.

Magkadugtong kasi ang pusod ng dalawang commandment ... kung magnanakaw ka kasi ... sigurado sinungaling ka rin. Nahuli ka nang nagnanakaw ... nagsisinungaling ka pang hindi ah. Gusto mo lang daw masubukan kung ano ang pakiramdam hawakan ang limpak-limpak na salapi.

Nahuli ka nang pinapasok mo ang pera sa maleta ninyo ...nagpapalusot ka pang gusto mo lang matantiya kung gaano kakapal at magkano ba talaga ang laman ng isang luggage ... in millions. Parang kang si Orly Guteza who testified in the Blue Ribbon Committee that one suitcase are worth approximately 48 million pesos. Na tinawanan lang ng lahat.

The seventh commandment, considering the current political system, is evolving and is undergoing drastic and dramatic changes - one can always web lies na may mga kasama ka pang iba - kahit iisang tao lang naman ang makikita sa kuarto. At ikaw yon.

When you start to fib and lie ... posibleng mandamay ka pa ng iba ... nakakahiya nga namang mahuli ka at nagiisa ka lang. Misery loves company - meaning guilty people often find comfort in dragging others down and sharing their suffering. A miserable person wants others to be unhappy as well, so they don't feel alone. Diyan na pumapasok ang 8th Commandment - "bearing false witness against thy neighbor."

I was really holding my laughter the way the priest said it: Sampu lang naman ang commandments hindi pa matupad ... pero gusto pa yatang nilang dagdagan.

Ang commandment No 11 daw ay THOU SHALT NOT GET CAUGHT. Huwag daw magpahuli. I don't know kung ang ibig sabihin niya ay hindi magpahuli sa mga police or ng mga tracking device - GPS, law enforcement monitors or any electronic surveillance.

Kung hinahabol ka ng batas sa pagnanakaw ... or sa pagsinungaling ... or sa paggawa ng kuwento sa iba ... automatic na yong magtago ka na tucked inside your survival kit. . Huwag kang sumuko. May slim chance pa na malusotan mo ito.

Deny all you can (parang eat all you can ah) - if that will help your case. Kung bukong-buko ka na and it reach the point na hinahanap ka na ni General Torre - aba hide and seek na ang drama mo... if possible sa ilalim ng lupa. But don't repeat the same mistake of Quibuloy - nakalimutan niyang huwag dapat siyang huminga at ang mga pulso niya dapat nasa SILENT MODE. Parang sa Ai-phone.

At sakali mang mahuli ka ni General Torre, then the next Commandment No. 12 is your next big option. THOU SHALL NOT ADMIT ANYTHING. Kahit ibitay ka pa nila ng patiwarik ... or kilitiin to the max ... ipa-smorgasbord sa langgam ... huwag bumigay ... huwag umihi sa pantalon ... walang aminan.

Pwede kang magkunyari na may sakit ka para hindi na sila mangulit sa pagtanong sa iyo ... pero tested and proven na yong mag- neck-brace (kahit itanong mo sa mga nagdaang mga politiko kahit wala namang orthopedic issues sa leeg mo. At classic na ring matawag yong gumamit ka ng props like wheelchair perhaps? And revolutionary na yong mga nagsa-suggest na magpa-house arrest na lang sila.

If push comes to shove pwede ka ring magkunyaring comatose ka ... or nasa stage of catatonic stupor ang lagay mo. And please lang huwag mong ibukas ang mga mata kung may tao. Bad yan. Malaking kasalanan din ang mahuling ngumiti. May comatose at stuporous ba na nakabukas ang mata at nakangiti pa man din ... aber?

Dahil sa katigasan ng ulo mo ... binuksan mo nga ang mata mo at nguniti ka pa dahil akala mo nabudol mo ang mga police ... sa pagkunyaring may sakit ka ... wala ka nang magawa ngayon kundi tanggapin ang kapalaran mo.

But wait ... you still can do the Commandment No. 13 - THOU SHALT NOT BE ALONE sa parusa mo. Gamitin mo ang lahat ng resources at yaman mo. Employ a Dream Team na gagabay sa iyo.

Ipa-raffle lahat ang mga luxury vehicles ... ang mga Rolls -Royce Cullinan, Bentley Bentayga, Mercedes Benz G-500, Mercedes AMG G 63, Cadillac Escalade, Maserati Levante. Modena, Porche Cayenne, Toyota Sequoia and Tundra para sa mga abogadong buong puso kang tulungan with all your legal and illegal woes.

Search for the country's best ghostbusters para ibandera na ang lahat na mga ghost projects at ghost employees ... mga project na imupisahan pero hindi tinapos, mag proyektong inanod at nilamon ng tubig, at mga project na basta na lang iniwang nakatiwangwang.

Maghanap ka rin ng abogadong buong giting kang ipagtanggol at maipagsakatuparan na magiging state witness ka and will be placed under the government's Witness Protection Program (WPP). Sabi nga nila - nahuli ka man ... pero hindi kulong.

Find fake whistle-blowers, even with fake notarization, as long as they are willing to lie for you. Huwag mong piliin ang whistle blower na pagkatapos ng kanyang unang baptism of fire sa Senado ... hindi na mahagilap at missing in action na. Ayan tuloy ... nagdududa na ang mga miron.

Employ an army of trolls para masagot ang mga negative narratives sa internet at social media. Importante pa ring maalagaan ang pangalan mo kahit masangsang na ang amoy nito.

Ask for the help of religious organizations that are willing to do indignation rallies in EDSA and Luneta against corruption, kahit walang duda na pati ikaw kumbinsido na at walang pagalinlangan na corrupt na rin ang turing at tingin mo sa sarili. Naglinis-linisan kasi.

If all else fails, idamay na ang lahat. Ilabas mo ang kanilang baho ... ano sila hilo ... at ikaw lang ang magiging fall guy?

Kaya nga hindi matapos-tapos itong serye ng mga bagyo eh. Dahil may mga taong katulad mo ... who has imbibed the tenets of "no retreat no surrender." ... "habang may buhay ... may pag-asa" or "kung may gusot ... may lusot."

Sigi palusot pa more. Tandaan mo malulusutan mo man ang batas ng tao ... pero ang batas ng nasa Itaas ... NEVER!

Rally For Transparency? Was It?

 

Rally For Transparency ... Was It?

Iglesia Ni Cristo last weekend, with a special participation from JIL and KOJC (a trio of not a surprising mix), held an indignation rally... and it is a rally for transparency and a better democracy.

The CBCP and Caritas, however, came out and distanced themselves right away, boldly stating that they are neither involved in the event's planning nor endorsing it.

The goal of the rally was very noble ... lalo pa ngayong galit na galit ang mag tao ngayon sa corruption. I am a Catholic and I don't have any problem rubbing elbows with them ... pareho lang naman ang VISION pati na ang MISSION.

Pero may mga komenta ang mga netizens diyan lalo na ang pagiging omni-present at very visible ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta sa lahat ng activities - isa pa naman siya sa mga higante na tinitingala sa INC.

His presence leaves though a sour taste in the mouth of some, lalo na may perception ang mga tao na kumikiling siya sa Familya Discaya. At lalo pang gumuho ang kanilang ilusyon, lalo na at they consider him na isang Superman ng Philippine politics tapos marami siyang mga little but big baggages of scandals tailing him lately ... and with his no-nonsense ... serious, and no frills ... devil may care attitude unti-unting lumalayo ang mga dating tagahanga niya sa kanya.

And when Orly Guteza, the surprise whistleblower, came from the back burner ... and then declared himself missing in action when the Blue Ribbon Committee started smelling a rat ... the people's stance changed from admiration to repugnance. And then there's his unholy alliance with Mike Defensor, where the public suspects they are up to cooking something.

So people were asking because they thought this was a rally for TRANSPARENCY, and with his ongoing mano-a-mano tussle with the COMELEC chief regarding some disparity and irregularities in his SALN and SOCE ... transparency was thrown out of the window ... it is a litigation waiting to happen.

If transparency is the object of the rally ... Marcoleta was not a TRANSPARENT person as the rally aimed to attain... an irritating nuisance to INC's supposed to be magnanimous objective. (transparent person - someone who is open, honest, and straightforward with no hidden agendas. They are candid and sincere in their communication, admit their mistakes, explain their decision-making process, and are open to feedback, which builds trust with others.

And then there was the JIL, and we already knew Joel Villanueva's pressing problems with ICI and the ombudsman. His case was a direct contradiction of the Iglesia's noble intentions ... and their presence demeaned whatever transparency points they earned. If there was any.

And what's the KOJC doing in this event? Their attendance added more black eyes to the already waning people's trust, even making them wonder whether the INC hierarchy truly understands why they are there in the first place and what they are fighting for.

And Imee's enfant terrible, deviant, and eccentric confession? It is very un-Filipino, to say the least, and has alienated many observers. It is supposed to be the highlight of the 3-day rally, but for her to drop the bomb on the second day was anticlimactic. That made the INC powers that be ... think the mission was already accomplished ... so why extend it for another day?

Yon lang pala ang hinihintay nila? Binibigyan pa ng kung anong outlandish mantra ang rally nila ... pa-transparency-transparency ek-ek pa kuno ... some sectors suspect parti lang pala yon ng destabilazation job para bumaba na si BBM?

Tama nga ang desisyong ng CBCP at Caritas na wala silang partisipasyon. They really are a good judge of the organization's character ... and their true nature.

Nikki Glaser Humingi ng Tawad Matapos ang ginawa sa Golden Globes Awards

Thou Shall Not Take The Name of the Lord Thy God In Vain

"Dad ... Dad Los Angeles is on fire!" 

"What happened? Oh, I know now ... I lived there once .... it must be the forest fire?"

"No Dad ... The host-comedian Nikki Glaser was mocking God ... and loud guffaws were heard in the halls where the Golden Globe was giving its annual awards. We should not mention the name of God in vain ... " See what they get after two days ... Hollywood was literally ON FIRE!

"Alright son ... I get you." In the Philippines especially the last Metro Manila Film Festival it is de rigueur that the actors in their long line of people to thank for ... usually thank God first before anybody else. But Hollywood is a different story.

Nikki Glaser the host comedian is a Catholic through and through. As a host, she was just highlighting her observations about the winners' acceptance speeches. And on a midshow recap, she quipped that they have not mentioned God ... at all. Being the Creator of the Universe the lack of acknowledgment was too obvious for comfort.

She mentioned the acceptance speeches were "ON FIRE" and the group of people being thanked were crew members ... and the winner's mothers with three shout-outs. God being the Creator of humankind was zero mentioned. To add humor and punch to her observation she quipped "No surprise in this GOD-less town."

Glaser’s remarks reflect the fact that Hollywood and the entertainment industry are seen with a great majority secular (not religious) and hostile toward traditional Christian values.

As one writer said: "The joke, while intended as satire, touched on a sentiment shared by many Christians—that Hollywood often overlooks the ultimate Giver of all blessings. Glaser’s remarks, though comedic, highlighted the glaring omission of spiritual gratitude in a city often associated with glamour, power, and self-congratulation."

With Los Angeles and its environs being reduced to ashes .. was it a mere coincidence ... or was Nikki Glaser's brand of comedy too tasteless and tawdry for any Catholic virginal ears. Was it the audience laughing that irked the Heavenly Patience ... and the divine reminder (punishment) was given right away to teach them a lesson?

Nobody knows.  But there is one thing I want to reiterate after seeing all the destruction: "Thou shall not take the name of the Lord ... thy God in vain."