Lawyer's Mumbo Jumbo

PHRASE: Persona non grata

MEANING: Persona non grata" is a Latin term meaning "unwelcome person." In diplomacy, it refers to a foreign diplomat who is no longer welcome in a host country, often leading to their expulsion. In a broader context, it can signify that a person is unwelcome in a particular place, city, or community due to their actions or behavior.
Yes, a Filipino citizen can be declared persona non grata in a specific locality or even across the Philippines. While the term is often associated with diplomats, it can also be used in non-diplomatic contexts to express disapproval of someone's actions or behavior, even if they are a Filipino citizen.

EXAMPLE: The people of Davao were not happy when Vice Ganda, in his recent concert with Regine Velasquez in Araneta, made a Jet-ski holiday skit- a satire of the FPRRD campaign promise where he boasted he is going to the Spratly Islands in a jet ski and plant the Filipino flag there.

In his skit ... Vice Ganda said this: “Nothing beats a jet ski holiday, right now from Manila to the West Philippine Sea via jet ski. Get unlimited water bombing from Chinese vessels and a free trip to The Hague by the ICC (International Criminal Court). Promo applies to DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporters) only. Pinklawans and BBMs are prohibited. Huwag niyo akong subukan, mga pu****i** niyo (Don’t try my patience, you sons of b******),” Vice Ganda said.

The joke did not sit well with the people of Davao ... and some of them plan to slap him and declare him PERSONA NON GRATA.

MY COMMENT: I know there are a lot of people in Davao who are not used to hearing and seeing satires, parodies, irony, burlesque lampoon, and the like. People like Harry Roque will not understand what the motive is behind this ... but definitely a comedian like Vice Ganda, in fairness to him, didn't have any sinister intentions to make fun of the ex-President. He is just doing his work ... and any people who don't have a background in literary writing (that's including me) will surely feel aggravated watching the show.

I don't blame Harry Roque for asking, "What did Tatay Digong do to you to deserve this? I appreciate their frustration, but declaring VG persona non grata in Davao is too harsh.

Unknown to many, there are a lot of performing arts and literary devices, and VG is a comedian, and he was asked to perform one of the genres as mentioned above.

A Satire is strong irony or sarcasm—"in satire, irony is militant", said one literary critic. It is designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject using satirical or ironic imitation. It uses humor, exaggeration, irony, or ridicule to highlight the flaws and absurdities of people and society. It often targets politics and social issues to provoke thought.

A parody is characterized by three fundamental elements: imitation, exaggeration, and humor. These components work in tandem to create a distinct narrative style that both mimics and mocks the original subject.

Burlesque is a form of grotesque and exaggerated parody or imitation that is often seen in creative writing. It involves exaggerating a subject in a way that causes amusement or laughter. While burlesque is often seen as a bawdy form of entertainment, it is also an important tool for writers.

A lampoon, on the other hand, is a piece of writing or a speech that uses humour to harshly criticise someone or something. It's a vicious satire in prose or verse that makes a gratuitous, often unfair, and malicious assault on an individual.

Whatever technique VG used in the concert, it worked because the audience bought it. Whether he uses the concert as a vehicle to verbalize his political frustrations ... we don't know. Does he have hidden motives ... we don't know either.

But as far as we know, artists don't really appreciate it if the government also encroaches on their craft, chokes their creative juices, and throttles their artistic freedom, the way some other branch of government encroaches on the affairs of another branch.

The phrase "art imitates life" suggests that creative works, such as movies, skits, paintings, literature, or music, are inspired by or reflect real-world experiences, events, and emotions. It means that artists often draw inspiration from their own lives and the world around them to create their art.

The Highlights and The Sidelight of August 6 Senate Voting

I can't get enough of what transpired that fateful August 6 in the Senate. I was prepared to be blown out of my wits ... na ikinahulog ko sa aking upuan ... pati na ang aking sense of right and wrong ay fractured na ... not even a surgery can make it whole again.

Maraming NAKAKA-ALIW na nangyayari c/o the amusing supporting cast ng Senado ... at marami ring  NAKAKABALIW na eksena starring the same cast. Everybody was on edge ... hindi mapigilan ng iba ang "magnakaw eksena" mahagip at mapansin man lang ng camera.

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Senator Rodante Marcoleta was commissioned as the harbinger of doom when, for the second time around, the Senate motioned that the impeachment case against the VP be dismissed. Siya ang naatasan to do the dirty work this time ... nakakahiya man at kapapasok pa lang niya sa Senado ... ito na agad ang kanyang first assignment. He willingly obliged to show gratitude at pasasalamat sa pamilya sa kanyang pagkapanalo. 

Ginawa na ito ni Senator Bato noong nagconvene ang Senado (also to prove his loyalty to the family) at pasasalamat na rin sa kanyang Top 3 performance last election. He was the first elite hit squad member assigned to test the Senate waters to see if it was ripe for them to try to dismiss without really rocking the boat. PAPALIT-PALIT at PALIPAT-LIPAT lang ang mga naatasan ... para hindi naman masyadong halata.

                                        >>>>>>>>>>>>

Ganoon na sila ka desperate? And yes, DESPERATE TIMES call for DESPERATE MEASURES? 

"Desperate times call for desperate measures" means that when faced with severe hardship or crisis, it may be necessary to take extreme or unconventional actions that would not be considered appropriate under normal circumstances. Bato and Marcoleta knew the awesome task they would have to do. Facing the camera, they have already thought of the backlash they have to endure after braving their front to make a motion to dismiss. And they have to do ... what they have to do. What else can they do? ... because somebody has to do it somehow... and the family they owe a lot to, expects urgent positive results pronto!

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And the rest was history.  Senator Bato tried it, dismissing the impeachment case for the first time. And like a clockwork, his motion was met with a lot of resistance ... opposition ... and disapproval from its critics... and the people.

The character of Senator Cayetano came to the scene in Act 3. And to soften and neutralize the acid reflux and the heartburn brought about by the motion for DISMISSAL ... Cayetano has to do divine intervention ... as he segued from dismissal to REMAND ... and the rest of the senators thought it was a stroke of genius and said AMEN ... except for the five.(Hontiveros, Pimentil, Poe, Binay and Gatchalian)

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The no-nonsense Marcoleta also tried his luck, dismissing the case, and with Tito Soto and Ping Lacson on the guard ... they were almost successful in making Rodante's motion have a semblance of a stalemate ... an impasse. I can still think of other words similar to that (deadlock, stand-off, dead-end, stand-still) just to show my appreciation that they were there as guardian angels. 

And thanks to Cayetano again ... the ever dependable knight in shining armor came to his rescue and miraculously switched from DISMISSAL...to a more acceptable and comfortable alternative ... TO ARCHIVE. Teka ... teka... deja vu na naman? And the rest of the senators say AMEN (except for Soto and the troika of Hontiveros, Pangilinan, and Aquino; Lacson abstained)

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While Cayetano was making his presentation, he was making some sort of dog and pony show with his partner Marcoleta, or was it the Matt and Jeff technique, where one person acts aggressively ("bad cop"), while the other acts friendly and understanding ("good cop"). 

The Q and A portion was a big letdown because the two were not in sync with each other. Though they may have practiced it several times ... they sounded and looked rehearsed ... and Marcoleta fumbled because he was not listening to his cues.

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When praised by Cayetano that Marcoleta is for the rights of everyone ... that he was only adopted by PDP ... but he is not a member of the Duterte block ... and that he is not running as a partisan - that didn't register well as seen in Marcoleta's poker-faced expression. He may be a good debater ... but not a good actor when the situation calls for it. That spoiled the presentation.

He looked awkward and hesitant answering the question ... and it is obvious that he didn't agree with the way the script of their tableau was written. Was it guilt written in his gnarled face when asked if he was not a member of the Duterte block? And was it shame the reason why he panicked when asked if he was for the rights of everyone ... and why a heavy and a delayed YES answer ... when asked if he is non-partisan?

                                   >>>>>>>>>>>>`

In the bench, the camera happened to stop by the face of Bato. He must be thankful he was relieved of the burden of making the motion for dismissal for the second time.

It might be too much to say he has been staring at the two having Q & A ...and Bato was nothing but praise and gratitude. The way he looked at Marcoleta while watching the rehearsed tableau, his eyes twinkled like he was a doting father admiring his son's greatest performance. Others were joking: "They have a mutual brotherly admiration society. Others asked ... was it bromance to some?

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TO BE CONTINUED ...

                                            

Huwag Maging Judgmental

This sounds too shallow and trivial ... pero pinatulan ko na rin. Hindi dahil wala na akong maisip na content ... naisip kong merong ding moral lesson ang story. One way or the other.

Isang doktor kasi ang nagpost ng inquiry sa itaas. Seryoso ang pakiusap sa tingin ko ... pero mali yata ang lugar na kanyang pinili. Sa social media ba naman ... may magseryoso ba sa inquiry niya? Bihira lang siguro.

Kung hindi kantiyaw ang aabotin niya ... pagtatawanan  pa siya. Wala siyang makuhang matinong sagot sa internet. Kadalasan, ang mga nakakita ng post niya ... kahit hindi nila kilala ... sasali at sasali ang mga iyan kahit hindi mo na kailangan.. More often than not nagpapa-cute ang mga reply ...kung sino ang makagawa ng reply that will amke the reader smile yon ang gial nila ... pero meron din nambibwisit at nang-iinsulto.

Tawa nga ako ng tawa sa unang tingin ... dahil umaga pa lang good vibes na ang dating. Pero kalauna'y naawa ako sa sumulat ... doktor pa man din siya? 

Ito ang nakakatawang mga response.

>> "Okey lang daw Doc.  Isama mo na lang sa condo ang mga sisiw mo". Magsama kayo ng mga alaga mo."

>> "Interesado daw ang tiyohin ko Doc. Kung okey lang sa iyo ikaw na mag-alaga ng sisiw sa condo at babalikan na lang niya ikaw diyan after 45 days pata mai-convert na sa cash."

>> "Magdala ka ba ng kulungan Doc ... o hayaan mo nang gumala sa loob ng condo ang mga manok.."

>> Gaano ka ba katagal sa condo Doc ... hindi mo sinabi? Isang linggo ... dalawa ... isang buwan? Naku baka forever ha? 

Interesado akong sagotin kung gaano katagal sa Manila ang doctor. May poultry din kasi kami ... 45 days chicken at layer farming (egg raising). Kung ang isang sisiw ay P30 pesos (mura na yan ha) i-multiply natin ito sa 500  ang total ay P15,000.00. Kung ang isang sakong feeds a P1,700 ... more or less ang bayad niya sa iyo ay P16,700.

Ang isang murang renta sa condo sa Manila for one month is between 15 to 17 kiyaw. So sa tantiya ko mga isang buwan si Doc sa Manila.

O huwag ninyong pagtawanan si Doc. Istrikto yan sa pera. Bago niya sinabi s atin na 500 sisiw (walang labis walang kulang) at isang sakong patuka ang kapalit ... nakuwenta na niya lahat. Memoryado na. Matik na yon! 

Moral lesson ... huwag maging judgmental (with apologies to Eat Bulaga)

Words Are All He Had

 

In my last post, the people's attention focused on Inday Sara and her propensity for using words, phrases, and statements (often intended to spite political foes) so vitriolic that more often than not ... they come back to haunt her peace.

She has the tendency to act on urges and desires without considering the repercussions and its potential consequences. And when she started lashing out, she had little regard for negative outcomes.

She has a tendency to act on a whim, displaying behavior characterized by little or no forethought, reflection, or consideration of what should be.

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Unfortunately, aside from her, there are other government officials who have no temerity to use their mouths when walls are closing in on them. They lash out ... and tongue lash whoever is on the way. Senate President Francis Escudero, without lifting a finger, effortlessly issued strong statements addressed to the Congressmen in the Senate hearing last August 6, 2026.

Halatang may pinaparinggan. Salitang matalim ... malupit pa sa "petmalu" ... maanghang at matalas ... if you are faint-hearted sapul ka sa major artery .

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Francis has his own way with words - he has the habit of using the five Ps (proclivity, predisposition, propensity, penchant, and predilection for carefully selected words that are particularly effective or impactful in a given context) once the target is identified. Lalo na siguro kung may pinagkahugutan.

And beware of his choice of words because his language stings... "nanunoot sa kalamnan ... nararamdaman at tumatalab."

I just hope he is aware that people can use the same strong words and make them boomerang in his direction to pique and upset him.

>>>>>>>>>>>

Let us examine what he said: "To those seeking to disregard the decision of the Supreme Court ... Are you really for accountability or simply anti-Duterte?" It rhymes, ha?

The House of Representatives defenders (vloggers and netizens) use the same parallelism to get back at him: " Are you really for Sara Duterte .... that you forget accountability?" And they can reverse it this way: " Are you really for accountability, or are you just pro-Sara? Or worse: " Are you the Senator for the VP ... and you forget you're the Senator for the Filipino people?"

See what I mean? Strong words vs strong words? And just like Energizer Bunny... this discussion will go on and on. No ending. Unstoppable and relentless.

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He also said: "Do you really respect and want to preserve the constitution, or do you simply hate the Vice President?"

The netizen answered back: "You simply love the Vice President ... everything you do is all for her. Some quarters think he has disrespected the Constitution by trying to change and amend it ... anything that suits the needs of the VP and her political convenience? "

See? The way I expected the netizens to say.

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Escudero said the Senate “is not your playground to run after your political enemies” and that the chamber would never be “an accomplice in any grand scheme.”

The reader's comeback said: "Well, the Senate is not your football field ... a license to derail impeachment proceedings ... and this chamber should not be an accessory to whitewash, suppress, and hide the truth.

The Senate should follow its mandate to try and judge and not kowtow to another co-equal branch. Let alone encroach on your chamber ... and make decisions for you. Talking about over-reaching of powers. Or was that abuse of discretion (when other legal authority makes a decision that is unreasonable, arbitrary, or not supported by the facts or law)

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And lastly ... Escudero said: “To the House of Representatives, I say, do not allow yourselves to be used for the blind hatred and ambition of a few, who did things haphazardly, gravely abused their discretion, and violated due process rights under the Constitution as found by the high court itself."

The HOR, as far as we know, has not used blind hatred to compel them to file the impeachment complaints. What made them do it ... is their thirst fo

Pageant Result: Miss Earth Philippines 2025

 The winners of Miss Earth Philippines 2025 from left to right: Jaymie Strictland - Miss Fire 2025, Ma. Flordeliz Mabao - Miss Air 2025, Joy Barcoma - Miss Earth Philippines 2025, Angel Rose Campo Tambal - Miss Water 2025, and Kriezl Jane Torres - Miss Eco Tourism 2025.  The pageant was held at Okada Manila The Cove last August 10, 2025.

 

When What You Say Boomerang To You

Time and again, Inday Sara issued statements that oftentimes iniisip mo kung pinagisipan ba niya iyon.

Or talagang impulsive talker siya at one wonders kung ano ang nararamdaman niya pagkatapos lumabas ang mga maanghang and scathing  remarks sa bibig niya.

I am bringing this up to her attention dahil hindi lang iisang beses na wala siyang preno sa pag-rant niya ... at kung ano ang sinasabi niya kusa itong BUMABALIK sa kanya at nagbo-BOOMERANG.

                                         >>>>>>>>>>>

Huwag sana siyang maging IMPULSIVE ... at hindi niya iniisip kung ano ang binibitawan niyang mga salita.

At huwag sana siyang maging COMPULSIVE ... na everytime na magalit siya magwawala siya at gusto niya saksi ang buong mundo at buong ningning na ipakita niya that she was a chip of an old block ... at manang-mana sa ama.

However, she fell short ... because she is no Digong. Others believe she wants to mimic her mentor's grit and iron will. Sadly, she failed to meet the standard and the people's expectations and happened to be just in a level of nothing but a second-rate, trying-hard copycat. Thanks, Sharon Cuneta!

                                          >>>>>>>>>>>

Katulad niyan, when she made a clear and unequivocal statement that she had contracted an assassin to kill the President, the First Lady, and the House Speaker if an alleged plot against her succeeds. Hindi raw ito joke at inulit pa mandin ang threat in a separate incident. Because she was stubborn ... at walang makapigil sa kanya ...ayan kasama ito sa impeachment complaints at tila ngayong lang nahimasmasan si Inday sa kayabangan niya.

And she has the gall and the audacity to DENY that? That was classic GAS-LIGHTING ... ipamukha mo ba naman sa buong sanlibutan na kung ano man ang nakita nila sa infamous video niya ... ay hindi totoo? 

Reaction tuloy ng mga tao ...isang pagkamangha. PANAGINIP lang ba ito or GUNIGUNI? Hindi ... this strange phenomenon ay parang Haley's comet ... or blue supermoon making its  appearnce every 76 and 10 years respectively. Ngayon lang nangyari ito pero sabay-sabay ang buong mundo nagkaroon ng isang BANGUNGOT who was too vivid ... akala tuloy ng marami ay totoo. O huwag kalimutan ... courtesy ito ng bratinella ng Davao ha!

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There was also a time na nagkasunod-sunod ang tatlong bagyo ... ano pa ba ang aasahan natin kundi baha? Pero ang prinsesa ng Davao (imbes na tumulong, nakuha pa niyang nangutya at sinabi ang isang statement na hindi mo inaasahan manggaling sa isang Vice President. Ipunin daw ang lahat ng tubig at dalhin sa Malacanang to spite the government of their failed flood projects?

May amnesia ba siya or Alzheimers? Davao is experiencing the same problems dahil sa palpak na mga flood programs ng mga kapatid. 

And not to be forgotten ay ang ilang build-build projects ng kanyang ama sa Metro Manila ... na siyang rason kung bakit bumabaha. na itinuloy lang naman ni BBM. Ngayon fair bang mangsisi na lang ... and not do her share para makatulong man lang?

                                        >>>>>>>>>>>

Lately binanatan niya si Jonvic Remulla.  She was referring to this statement where people were waiting for weather advisories, and in her estimate, Remulla's typhoon informatories were short of being inappropriate, "Mga abangers ang sarap ng bogchi ko. Sa kabusugan ko naidlip ako sandali. O ito na ang weather update."

Inday was right, and I agree with her na sana naging professional ang mga nasa gobyerno sa kanilang pakikitungo sa mga tao. Masamang tingnan.

Pero kung ang advise ay manggaling pa sa kanya ... at buong dalisay niyang ipagngudnguran and have that "holier than thou attitude" na magsabi na "BE PROFESSIONAL ..." eh hindi pa natunawan ang mga tao sa mga sinabi niya noon: "Mga p..tang ina ninyo lahat ... hindi pa kayo nakakita ng kalaban tulad ko."Isama pa natin yong pang- okray niya kay Bishop Benny Abante, Joel Chua and Rolando Valeriano. That was so low!

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Then in her Drag Me to hell press conference, she said: "I am UNFORGIVING ...UNYIELDING, & UNBOWED ..." obviously rejecting claims fired by some lawmakers that she is UNSOUND, UNHINGED, and UNBECOMING.

The situation escalated when she hurled fire and brimstone at her critics, most especially to the private and reticent BBM,

If all the impeachment complaints were true (?) how can the people FORGIVE and FORGET the UNFORGIVING VP? Just wondering.

>>>>>>>>>>>

There are still other instances where whatever Inday says ... her words have their way of BOUNCING back and BOOMERANG in her direction.

There's the myth that they are only living a simple life in Davao, ... that Leila De Lima is one narco-politician ... the beheading of her political foes ... her blood bath remarks ... kalkalin si FM at itapon sa West Philippine Sea ,,, and who could forget her rants about the rule of law and due process ad nauseam.

If the congressmen criticized her ... they were not objective and they are biased ... hence she is POLITICALLY PERSECUTED. When the Supreme Court ruled that the impeachment complaints were unconstitutional ... for personal expediency, they are HEAVEN SENT.

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Dapat isaisip ni Inday yong GOLDEN Rule ... "Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you."

Pwede din yong SILVER Rule ... Gumawa ka nang mabuti ... para ikaw ay ipagbunyi. 

Kung ayaw mo ... e di ikaw ang lugi.

                                       >>>>>>>>>>>>

Lawyer's Mumbo Jumbo

 

PHRASE: Void ab initio

MEANING: In law, "Void ab initio" is a Latin term meaning "void from the beginning" or "invalid from the get-go." Null and void since inception.

In legal contexts, it signifies that a contract, agreement, or, in today's current news and events, the impeachment complaints against Inday Sara are flawed because their authors have not followed the specific details and technicalities. 

Others said some important facets were not followed to the letter. from the moment it was created, so they treat it as if it never existed. 

Void ab initio further means that a void act (the impeachment complaints) cannot be rectified to become enforceable because it is deemed as though it never occurred.

They are declared null and void from day one because of the absence of some important and essential requisites.

EXAMPLE: Chiz Escudero said the Articles of Impeachment, besides being barred, are also constitutionally infirm and therefore null and void ab initio.

As an outsider looking in ... I have some questions I need to ask. 

1. The only people I heard saying the articles of impeachment are void ab initio are the Senate President, Chiz Escudero, Senator Rodante Marcoleta, and Alan Peter Cayetano. 

Who the heck is in a position to judge that the case is void ab initio? Was it SC? And why are only these three senators in the privy to know they are void and doomed from the start?

2.  Why is it that the House of Representatives was caught off guard ... and they don't have any clue that the colossal task they have prepared for six months will just go down the drain and be thrashed null and void?

Do they have any advisers monitoring their every move to ensure that everything is in order and all details were meticulously scrutinized?

3. Are these now the signs of the times? If you are an influential and powerful politician ... with the new ruling, will it give them more courage to do more illegal hanky panky, knowing they can hide from technicalities and be saved from eternal damnation ... and fire and the brimstone?

4. And will it give them solace that they can do anything they want because friends from high places ... and an army of trolls will come to their rescue?

5. Where is accountability placed in this current political drama? Will it just be relegated to the tail end of Maslow's hierarchy of priorities ... and technicalities will reign supreme and become the number one consideration