Month: July 2006

University Council Resolution on missing UP students

Below is the UP Diliman University Council Resolution passed last July 12, 2006 on the abduction and disappearance of two students. The two were forcibly abducted by masked armed men in San Miguel, Hagonoy, Bulacan last June 26, 2006. They remain missing as of this writing in spite of the efforts of their families, human rights advocates and UP authorities to locate them. Please help disseminate this resolution.

Resolution on the Abduction and Disappearance of UP Students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan
Approved by the UP Diliman University Council
July 12, 2006

The University Council expresses great concern that government authorities have not yet produced indications of the whereabouts of two UP Diliman undergraduate students, Ms. Karen Empeno of the Sociology Department of the College of Social Science and Philosophy and Ms. Sherlyn Cadapan of the College of Human Kinetics.

It is now ten days since President Emerlinda Roman wrote a letter to Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno and to the Department of National Defense Secretary Avelino J. Cruz requesting their assistance in locating the two students. In the letter, President Roman described the circumstances attending the abduction of the two students: “According to raw reports reaching my office, six or more masked armed men forcibly took them at about 2:00 in the morning of Monday, June 26, 2006, in Purok 6, Barangay San Miguel, Hagonoy, Bulacan. The masked armed men were using long guns and apparently did not show any court order for their physical detention. We were also informed that Karen was asked to remove her shirt. They used this shirt to blindfold her. Sherlyn is pregnant. The women were then forced into a vehicle that proceeded in the direction of Iba, Hagonoy.” Continue reading “University Council Resolution on missing UP students”

Mga obispo at ang impeachment

(Unang nalathala sa Pinoy Gazette)

Kung noong isang taon ay tumanggi ang mga obispo ng Simbahang Katoliko na sumali sa mga nananawagan ng pagbibitiw ni Gloria Arroyo, ang nakaupong pangulo ng Pilipinas na akusado ng pandaraya sa eleksyon sa tulong ni ”Hello Garci,” ngayong taon ay ayaw naman nilang suportahan ang impeachment laban kay Arroyo.

Ayon sa “Shepherding and Prophesying in Hope,” ang pinakabagong pastoral statement ng Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), walang dudang para raw sila sa paghahanap ng katotohanan kaya’t buong katapatan nilang nirerespeto ang paninindigan ng mga indibidwal at grupong patuloy na nagnanais na gamitin ang impeachment process upang makita ang katotohanan. Ngunit idinagdag pa nila: Continue reading “Mga obispo at ang impeachment”

Smart Broken

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Hindi naman pala ako praning, kung hindi matigas ang ulo. Bago ako nag-apply sa Smart Bro(ken) na “wi-fi” raw, nang-istorbo ako ng mga taong ‘di ko kakilala, at nag-survey sa mga kaibigan kong connected. May mga nagsabing huwag na, kung ayaw kong sumakit lang ang ulo ko. May mga nagsabing medyo okay na, o pwede na ang connection sa kasalukuyan. Mas pinaniwalaan ko itong huli, lalo na’t atat na akong magka-broadband.

So, okay naman noong una. Mula noong Hulyo 1, nang makabitan ako, bagama’t medyo nagbabagal, isang beses lang akong nawalan ng connection at naayos naman agad. Hanggang sa dumating ang Martes na gabi. Nawalan ako ng connection. Dahil may pupuntahan ako, di ko na muna ininda. Kako’y baka nagkaproblema lang nang konti. Noong Miyerkoles na gabi, wala pa ring connection, pero dahil di rin ako nagtagal sa bahay, hinayaan ko na lang muna ulit. Pagdating ng Huwebes na gabi, wala pa ring akong connection. Continue reading “Smart Broken”

Superman Returns

(Unang nalathala sa Pinoy Gazette)

“Noong unang kaarawan ni Miguel–ang superfriend kong pamangkin ng girlfriend ko–ibinili siya ng Tita Mhay niya ng Superman custome. Tuwang-tuwa ang bata. Nang magkaroon kami ng DVD ng lumang pelikulang “Superman: The Movie”, araw-araw itong pinapanood ni Miguel. Gustung gusto niya kapag tumutugtog na ang Superman theme, at may mga eksena siyang paulit-ulit na pinapanood. Sa kalaunan, nagasgas ata ang DVD dahil sa kaka-rewind.

Minsang nasa kanila ako, sinubukan kong panoorin ang buong pelikula. Kaya lang, nagloko ang gasgas na DVD at ‘di ko natapos ang pelikula. Ang totoo kasi niyan, bagamat dati’y nanonood ako ng Lois & Clark sa TV, hindi ako nakabasa ng comics nito at ‘di ko pa napanood ang mga pelikulang kabilang sa Superman series. Bandang huli, nakahanap din ako ng piratang DVD na naroon ang lahat ng apat na pelikula: “Superman: The Movie”, “Superman II”, Superman III”, at “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.” Sadyang isip-bata yata ako–o aliw lang talaga sa mga superhero at malapit sa mga konsepto ng katotohanan, katarungan, at kapayapaan—kaya’t gaya ni Miguel, sobrang naadik din ako, at pinagpuyatan ang panonood matapos lamang agad ang apat na pelikula. Continue reading “Superman Returns”