Whenever it is Christmas time, it’s been a tradition in Straight from the Sky that instead of having a talk show or an interview, which we do most of them, we use the occasion to celebrate Christmas with music… usually from the many different Choirs or Chorales coming from the various Universities of Metro Cebu. But somehow, this year hasn’t been a positive one for the Catholic Church because of the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill where good Catholics helped in trying to have it passed in Congress.
While we did have a great blessing this year coming from the Vatican when we had the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod, however the euphoria of that canonization, including the Thanksgiving Mass that was attended by a million devotees was drowned by the passage of the RH bill in Congress. Thankfully, the Aquino government did not outlaw Christmas yet.
Last October, Pope Benedict XVI declared the Year of Faith, which is why we are breaking tradition for this Christmas and instead, we have asked our dear friend Fr. Ramon “Monching” Ofredo, Service Coordinator or Spiritual Director of the Charismatic Communities in the Archdiocese of Cebu to give us a simple teaching about the meaning of Christmas, especially about Advent. This is our little contribution to the education of our fellow Catholics who hunger for the truth. Please watch this highly-educational talk with Fr. Mon Ofredo in SkyCable’s channel 61 at 8:00pm with replays right away on MyTV channel 30 at 9:00pm and also on M-W-F.
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People have been asking me what options does Gov. Gwen F. Garcia have in the light of her harsh suspension, which many Cebuanos absolutely believe is politically motivated. Quite timely, one of my readers emailed me this letter about this issue. So let me print it for your appreciation because frankly speaking, Mr. Bernard Pacheco and I think alike.
“This maybe a fairy tale… and its one for Ripley’s “Believe it or not.”.. Once upon a time, there was a Governor of Isabela named Lady Padaca, accused for alleged graft and corruption. An arrest warrant was issued but she was never arrested. Then P-Noy, the Knight of Malacañang Palace, came to her rescue. With his own wealth and power, he posted bail for Lady Padaca and appointed her Associate Commissioner of Comelec.
Now look at the difference: On the other hand, Governor’s Garcia and Espino of Cebu and Pangasinan, respectively, are allegedly being persecuted… but P-Noy claims his actions are not politically motivated. That’s what we call a compartmentalized justice. Lady Valte, please explain to the Filipino people that P-Noy’s (your knight in Shining Armor), action is “Moral”, for it seems morality has a different meaning for some heads in Malacañang Palace. In the spirit of the Yuletide Season, May forgiveness, humility and peace fill the air. Bernard Pacheco.”
Thanks Bernard for that great message. Indeed, what is happening to this country today is a selective Justice system that under the Aquino Regime, it even had sitting Chief Justice Renato Corona, humiliated, pilloried and eventually removed from the top post of the Judiciary… and slapped with a perpetual ban from public office. His crime? For telling the truth about his bank accounts, which he failed to write on his Statement of Assets & Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) which he could have denied the Senate.
But like what Mr. Pacheco pointed out, when the Office of the Ombudsman issued an arrest warrant against Isabela Governor Grace Padaca… the President then despite the documented evidences presented, issued statements to clear Gov. Padaca’s name, then using his own money, he posted her bail… then appointed her as Associate Commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
But for Gov. Gwen Garcia, Pres. PNoy slapped her suspension just before the Christmas break…where she cannot even file a temporary restraining order in our Court of Appeals (CA). What a heartless President we have in Mr. Aquino! Clearly, anyone who does not belong to the Liberal Party (LP) and is facing administrative or graft charges; will certainly get the ire of this President.
In another example… closer to home, is the celebrated Girls Scout scam case for former Rep. Clavel Asas Martinez, which happened prior to the year 2004. This case is only on its 9th year and finally the Office of the Ombudsman has decided to file charges against former Rep. Martinez and his son former Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez, Jr. Whether he was suspended or not… I already forgot. But surely LP allies have special treatment in the Aquino Regime. So what has changed since the EDSA Revolt? The Philippines under this President still adheres to a double standard of Justice. Justice for his friends… and no justice for lesser mortals.
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Email: vsbobita@gmail.com.