Okay, the thing is, when Comelec reinstated Nicanor Perlas as eligible to run for president, it took this other guy named Vetallano Acosta with him. Now, I knew Perlas - he's a decent guy, you know, environmentalist and all, quite learned man, but I haven't even HEARD OF Acosta, much less knew that KBL was fielding a presidential candidate. It was obvious right from the start that the goal was to kick erstwhile front-runner Noynoy Aquino out of the top of the alphabetical list of presidential candidates. And so Aquino and his Liberal Party filed a disqualification suit, which the Comelec did uphold... AFTER THE BALLOTS HAVE BEEN PRINTED.

"Since the resolution came after the Comelec has started printing the ballots for the May elections, Acosta's name would still be on the ballot but the votes cast for him would not be counted, said Ferrer." -Comelec dashes Acosta's presidential dream, via Inquirer.net

Jesus Christ, crass move is crass. I mean - COME ON. The guy didn't even put KBL on his COC when he filed it; certainly, there must have been something suspicious there, hmm?

Here's the rest of what Comelec had to say:

Comelec commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said Acosta was disqualified “for lack of machinery to hold a nationwide campaign” and for not being a duly accepted nominee of the Marcos-led party Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), whose vice presidential bet is former TV host Jay Sonza.

“Acosta is disqualified (for the presidential race) on the basis that he cannot conduct a nationwide campaign because as it turns out, he is not from KBL as he earlier claimed,” Ferrer said.

“Jay Sonza, his supposed running-mate does not know him or campaign for him because they have never met. He is also absent during political debates because he said he does not want to have enemies and he would leave the campaigning to God,” Ferrer told INQUIRER.net.

... I CAN'T EVEN. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN WITH THIS. *shakes head* Not from KBL as he earlier claimed? Jay Sonza didn't know him? Why didn't anyone say anything sooner?

*BAFFLED*

I mean, come on. Mano man lang ma-finalize yung listahan ng tatakbo for President at Vice. Kahit yun lang. Jusme, less than 20 names. LESS THAN 20 NAMES YOU GUYS.

* * *

Meanwhile, while we were looking elsewhere: There's a search for a Gilbert Teodoro look-alike. Not gonna lie, that has to be a quite good-looking male pageant. (Jusme, the administration standard-bearer is holding a PAGEANT to boost his campaign. So much for, uh, having the government's machinery behind him. Woe.)

We are no longer who we were before Monday. Even in the annals of political violence in the Philippines, there have been no parallels to the slaughter that occurred on the lonely road to Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao on November 23.

52 unarmed civilians all, the majority of whom were media professionals, the victims were enroute to perform basic functions in a civilized democracy: the Mangudadatu women were to file certificates of candidacy; the lawyers were to provide legal advice; and the journalists were to bear witness on behalf of the public and to report on an important event without fear or favor. - Statement of GMA Network on the Maguindanao massacre

Here's the Inquirer's partial list of victims.

We haven't even entered election season properly, and yet here it is. I've never seen so many journalists killed in a single day in all my years of monitoring killings among media workers.

It is chilling to know that somewhere in this country, there are people who could do such savagery. Fifty-seven people. Who does something like that?

This morning, I woke around 6 a.m. to the sound of howling winds; as expected, Typhoon Santi passed over Metro Manila quickly, but not without its promised strong winds (we were under Signal No. 3 as of last night) and some rain. A few minutes later, power went out. We assumed the winds had toppled some important electric posts.

Opening the window around 10 a.m., we saw a curious sight: The neighbor's roof was full of styrofoam boxes. We're still wondering where they came from.

Right now it's still quite cloudy, and we're still on our toes re: strong rains tonight. Since Ondoy last September, it feels like we're on eternal storm watch. You know something's up when you connect to the Internet for the purpose of getting weather updates on Twitter, the latest satellite map from Pagasa and a status update for dams in Luzon - in that order.

*

On other news, I'm looking forward to visiting my mother's grave tomorrow; will be praying for good weather.

Also, all this news calling for Comelec to extend voters' registration -- I think, on the upside, at least A LOT of people are looking forward to voting on May 2010? Just a thought.

I hope that history will judge me as favorably as our people still regard me, because, as God is my witness, I honestly did the best I could. No more can be asked of any man.

On June 30, 1992, the traditional ceremony of political succession will unfold at the Luneta. The last time it was done that way was in 1965. I shall be there with you to proudly witness the event. This is the glory of democracy, that its most solemn moment should be the peaceful transfer of power.

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat at paalam.

-Corazon Aquino, in her last State of the Nation Address, July 22, 1991.


photo from CoryAquino.ph

*

I have no words for this grief.

I woke this morning around half past seven to several messages containing the same news: Former president Corazon Aquino, icon of democracy and People Power, is dead. She was 76.

Upon getting the news, I went to work with my coffee in tow to get further ahead with captions. On Thursday, a few of my co-workers headed to Tarlac to visit the Aquino Museum to get a few photographs of Mrs Aquino. We agreed to finish captioning them ASAP. This was last night.

By 3:18 AM this morning, she was dead.

The fact is, we saw this coming. It was not sudden in any way; it was a year-long battle with colon cancer, after all. A few days ago we were even shaken by false news that the much beloved former president was dead. And honestly, I don't think any Filipino has been prayed for this hard ever.

But then, perhaps nothing could have really prepared us for this eventuality.

A few hours ago, I was watching the live sky patrol of Cory's hearse being transported from Heritage to La Salle Green Hills, where the public could view her until 4 a.m. tomorrow. Her hearse traversed Edsa slowly, as funeral hearses are wont to, and surprisingly, all the other vehicles gave way, which is just the rarest thing, and I think it's rather safe to assume the people driving behind Cory's hearse weren't grumbling but were rather proud to have been part of some informal entourage.

It just goes to show, what the Inquirer said in its editorial on Cory ("Eternal Flame" via inquirer.net) is true: "Unity is a rare thing in our country; we have it now; and adding to the feelings of grief is the wistful realization that it took the passing of Cory to reunite a divided nation."

President Aquino's passing marks the passing of an era -- if not the starkest mark of it. I will remember this as one of those distinct moments when I felt I aged significantly. I was born a year after her husband Ninoy Aquino was assassinated on that tarmac; in other words, right in the middle of an angry nation slowly inching toward a breaking point. God only knows what would have happened, had this country not seen a woman of Cory Aquino's strength and courage, or People Power altogether.

As a person working in the media industry, I feel like I owe Mrs Aquino for this freedom of expression that the Philippine press is currently enjoying. I have no words for the weight of this feeling -- of responsibility, of gratitude -- and to use a phrase I've seen somewhere, we can only use such small words for feelings so enormous.

There was an interview on ANC a while ago, where the interviewee says something about how we as Filipinos have been looking at symbols too long, and that maybe her death wants to tell us, Maybe it is time to look inside ourselves.

I think it's a challenge, and I think it is time to take it.

I think it's going to be a very interesting 2010 Elections.

woke this morning to news that the california supreme court has upheld proposition 8 in a much-awaited vote tuesday, a move that successfully reinstates the gay marriage ban in the state.

apparently, the court says, the people have the final say on the matter, and until these californians change their minds about proposition 8, the ban stays - or at least, until the time they decide to change their constitution AGAIN. fortunately, the court upheld the marriages that occurred when it was still legal in california - that's 18,000 couples, and well, at least that's a relief. but still.

obviously, i'm not too happy about this AT ALL. come on, california, i thought you were on OUR side. and come on, i thought your country has already elected a black president, aren't you supposed to be over this already?

*eyeroll*

oh. wait.



better? (god, naomi has the best eyeroll ever, i tell you)

and it's not only naomi who doesn't like it, btw:



yup, i think blair is so pissed she's going around throwing her bag, of all things.

ps. on the bright side, i'm loving how my favorite buffy girls eliza dushku @ElizaPatricia and amber benson @amberbenson are totally rallying against prop8 on twitter (along with another favorite, kat dennings @officialkat). seriously girls, my heart swells.

(photo from francis magalona's facebook fan page)

a sad thing happened today -- rapper francis magalona passed on around noon. he was 44 (b. Oct. 4, 1964). he came out with the news that he had been diagnosed with leukemia in august 2008.

about half a year later, he's dead.

it's one of those really surreal moments. first there was an email from a co-worker asking for confirmation. apparently, the news first broke on noontime show Eat Bulaga. i'd never seen that show that muted, as if a heavy cloud was upon everyone.

but then, revisiting the announcement on primetime news, i couldn't help tearing up myself.

mr magalona, a pillar in the philippine music scene, left behind not only his wife and their 8 children, but legions of fans as well. i heard he was even slated to perform a special number in the Eraserheads concert tomorrow night. the fact that he won't make it leaves this indescribable gap. and i'm not even the biggest music fan, to begin with.

francis m's death strikes a chord too near the heart - he and my mother died of the same disease. in an interview with a doctor aired over primetime news, the doctor said francis m suffered from a rare, fatal kind of leukemia. the same news outlined the symptoms of the disease, and suggested that adults over 40 have regular checkups and blood tests. my mother wasn't even 40 when she died - she was 38.

the doctor's explanation in layman's terms, of how the red blood cells and the bone marrow and all that fit into the perfect picture of a life-threatening condition, somewhat sounded familiar. i never really got to the nitty-gritty of my mother's death; i had resigned myself to the fact that i was not one made for these kinds of truths. but perhaps, one day, i will understand, too.

one day, i'll be ready.

reports say that tomb raider may be back on screen - but without angelina jolie. end of era much? I KNOW.

the fact is, i haven't met anyone, much less a lesbian, who has not had a crush, at one point or another, on angelina jolie. i mean, come on, those of you who realized you were much much more into girls than boys just by looking at ms jolie, raise your hands. *raises hand*



in many ways, angelina and her tomb raider movies were vital to my coming of age party, or something. tomb raider 2: the cradle of life was released in 2003, i think - which was the year i came out. and this, of course, is in addition to gia, which i loved as well.

and as much as i adored megan fox in transformers... well, i don't know.

***

on other news, this might not be new to you anymore, but i do want to say that i have the WEIRDEST dreams.

this morning, for example, i simply woke up with this statement in my head: The DepEd of the ocean is where all the school of fishes are.

i know, right. minsan iniisip ko rin kung anong klaseng issues meron ako. hahaha. or baka too much sabaw lang c/o hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy (which i'm reading, finally) and the movie yes man (wish you would step down from the ledge, my friend...)

i missed the live coverage of the inaguration of the 44th US President early this morning, and i sure hope the net connection becomes well enough to run videos of Pres. Obama's speech later.

on CNN they're still showing the parties. i mean, they're really happy, aren't they? kinikilabutan ako just watching the utter volume of merriment that ushered in the first administration change in the US since 2001.

since 2001. since 2001... hmm. so sana tayo rin ano by next year. Universe, give Philippine politics something to party about in 2010. please.