And That's Just The Local News





...(T)he only thing left to do is shout -- not moan, or complain, but yell out at the top of your voice whatever it was you had to say. What you've never said before. What perhaps you don't even know till now--Jean Anouilh

Two news articles made me think of the quoted passage above.

This bill—the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012—was passed in the Philippine Senate that Senator Guingona is trying to amend.
The article quoted Senator Guingona as saying, “Without a clear definition of the crime of libel and the persons liable, virtually any person can now be charged with a crime—even if you just like, retweet or comment on an online update or blog post containing criticisms.”

What is alarming is that the Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda agrees with the bill.
They find nothing wrong with it. 

Seriously.

Senator Tito Soto (the unapologetic plagiarizer nonpareil) apparently had a hand in the inclusion of libel in the Cybercrime bill; the good senator helpfully informed reporters that, “Libel is a crime. What do you think it is?”

What chutzpah!

A world of butthurt is what he must have felt against “netizens”—after all, if not for these people, his plagiarizing ways would not be exposed.
It’s because of them that the name sotto is now synonymous with copying other people’s works. At least here in this corner of the world. 

Payback time, you beeyatches!!

I can just picture him gloating.
And thanking the Good Lord that he has the power to punish those who dare criticize him. 

It did not occur to the senator and to the president and his people that censorship has never been effective in silencing critics, which, given the president’s background, is supremely ironic.
Two other senators, according to this article, are seeking to amend this breathtakingly stupid law. 

I hope they succeed, but I won’t bet on it.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court—an appointee of the President—has publicly declared that her appointment is from God.
Whether she thinks Aquino is God Himself is anybody’s guess. 

No wonder these people think they can get away with anything.

Speaking of God, the second article is equally, if not more, revolting.
Behold:

Charismatic group rallies behind sacked ‘ivory’ priest

Besides being linked to the illegal ivory trade, the monsignor is also accused of molesting altar boys twenty years ago. The Vatican had in fact suspended him from his position in the Archdiocese of Cebu, even before his involvement in the ivory trade was exposed.

The molestation charges were denied by the monsignor, saying that it was in fact him who was seduced and raped by those nasty boys.

Words, they fail me.

True to the revolting nature of these news articles, we find that a religious “charismatic” group has been holding prayer vigils for the priest.

Maybe it's just me, but I could not muster an iota of sympathy for this priest.
A flaw in my character, I know.

The leader of this group was quoted in the article as saying that, “Personally, between 1,000 accusations and one word of Monsignor Cris [Garcia], I still believe in Monsignor Cris.”

Oy vey, as the Yiddish expression says.

This seems an appropriate time to lie down and assume the fetal position while sucking one’s thumb. 
Or ask Futurama's Professor Farnsworth if we could go with him:

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